Risk of malnutrition and oral nutritional support in a cohort of hospital inpatients

Introduction: The disease-related malnutrition is considered a serious problem since it is strongly related to higher mortality rates, longer hospital stays, and increased costs for medical care. A highly associated risk factor has been the decreased oral intake during the hospital stay; however, the use of oral nutritional supplements allows to heal the malnutrition burden having positive results. Objective: To evaluate the hospital malnutrition risk and the oral nutritional supplements effect for 4 days in anthropometric variables, energy, and protein intake in hospital inpatients. Materials and methods: A cohort study, in a third-level hospital in which within the first 24 hours of the admission, the malnutrition risk was assessed (NRS-2002), the prescribed oral nutritional supplements, its follow-up during a 4-day consumption and its impact on weight, body mass index and muscle strength estimated by dynamometry were analyzed; additionally, the nutritional intake (energy and proteins) was assessed. Results: A total of 290 patients (167W/123M) were assessed, with an average age of 54.7 +/- 17.3 years. The malnutrition risk prevalence at hospital admission was 50.3% and from the total patients, 10.3% (n=30) received oral nutritional supplements. After the consumption of oral nutritional supplements, an increased energy consumption was shown in those with a >50% adherence during the 4 days; we found an increased energy adequacy percentage of 73.6 +/- 33 to 101 +/- 32 (p=0.003) and protein adequacy 75.8 +/- 45 to 108 +/- 58 (p=0.016), with appropriate tolerance. No differences were documented in anthropometric and arm strength variables. Conclusions: The use of oral nutritional supplements during the hospital stay increases considerably the energy and protein consumption in patients with a >50% adherence with appropriate tolerance.