[Malnutrition in hospitals--a pilot study]

Malnutrition in hospitals is often not assessed and malnourished patients rarely receive specific nutritional therapy.

50 consecutive patients were assessed using the Nutritional Risk Score (NRS). 22 patients (intervention group, IG) with > or = 3 points were treated with 3 daily servings of a high-protein, high-caloric supplement. 28 patients (non-intervention-group, NIG) with < 3 points received standard hospital food. Body weight, body-mass-index (BMI) and laboratory values were obtained at admission and discharge. The amount of calorie and protein intake was compared to daily requirements.

Median duration of hospital stay was longer in the IG (24 d vs. 13 d, p < 0.01) and duration raised with the number of points in the NRS. Patients in the IG only had decreased albumin values (-2.9 g/l, p < 0.01), whereas patients in the NIG showed loss of body weight (-1.3 kg, p < 0.01), BMI (-0.45 kg/m2, p < 0.01) and albumin values (-2.4 g/l, p <0.01) during their stay. Transferrin levels remained unchanged. Median daily intake of calories and proteins was similar in both groups. In the IG, the percentage of required calorie (94% vs. 79%, p < 0.01) and protein (80% vs. 68%, p < 0.01) intake was higher and the number of patients with intake of < 75% of estimated calorie (7 (32%) vs. 11 (39%), p = 0.01) and protein (13 (59%) vs. 22 (79%), p = 0.04) requirements was lower.

Patients in the IG were more likely to maintain their nutritional status although their hospital stay was significantly longer.