Abstract

DI SIBIO, Mariana Laura et al. Analysis of malnutrition risk in hospitalized patients at "Prof. Dr. Ramón Carrillo" Regional General Hospital. Diaeta [online]. 2015, vol.33, n.152, pp.12-16. ISSN 1852-7337.

Introduction: Malnutrition causes alterations in the structure and function of organs and systems, thus increasing morbidity, mortality and costs of hospitalization. Objective: To determine the prevalence of malnutrition risk in hospitalized patients and evaluate the relation between nutritional risk and age, gender and hospital services. Methods: A cross sectional study was designed. The Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) was used to evaluate 272 patients hospitalized in the "Prof. Dr. Ramón Carrillo" Hospital, from July 2013 to January 2014. Results: The average age was 58.9 (±20.5) years old. The survey showed that 31.7% of patients had nutritional risk. Female gender was significantly associated with presence of nutritional risk (p <0.002) and subjects aged 65 and over had the same association (p <0.001). The frequency of nutritional risk was more than double in general medical service compared with other services (OR = 2.60). Conclusion: In the admission of patients to hospital, it is necessary to carry out an early assessment of their nutritional risk, identify the factors associated with malnutrition risk and define an adequate nutritional treatment that improves the prognosis of hospitalization and the costs of hospital stay in these patients. The MST is a simple and effective screening tool to achieve these objectives.

Keywords : Nutritional risk; Women; Elderly; Hospital malnutrition; Malnutrition Screening Tool.