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Dutch national survey to test the STRONGkids nutritional risk screening tool in hospitalized children
Jessie M Hulst1, Henrike Zwart, Wim C Hop
1Erasmus MC, Department of Pediatrics, Sophia's Children Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. j.hulst@erasmusmc.nl
Insights
The STRONG(kids) nutritional risk screening tool is feasible for identifying hospitalized children at risk of malnutrition, showing a link between high-risk scores and longer hospital stays.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Clinical Assessment Tools
- Hospital Malnutrition
Background:
- Hospitalized children face significant risks of developing malnutrition.
- Early identification of nutritional risk is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the feasibility and value of the STRONG(kids) nutritional risk screening tool in a nationwide pediatric study.
- To evaluate the tool's effectiveness in identifying children at risk of malnutrition during hospitalization.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, multi-center observational study involving 44 Dutch hospitals.
- The STRONG(kids) tool, comprising 4 items (clinical assessment, disease risk, intake, weight loss), was utilized.
- Weight and length measurements were taken; malnutrition defined by SD-scores.
Main Results:
- The STRONG(kids) tool was successfully applied to 98% of 424 included children.
- 62% of children were identified as "at risk" for malnutrition.
- Children at risk exhibited lower weight-for-height SD-scores, higher acute malnutrition rates, and longer hospital stays.
Conclusions:
- The STRONG(kids) tool is a feasible and effective method for screening nutritional risk in hospitalized children.
- A high-risk score from the tool correlates with negative weight-for-height SD-scores and prolonged hospital stays.
Background & Aims:
Children admitted to the hospital are at risk of developing malnutrition. The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility and value of a new nutritional risk screening tool, called STRONG(kids), in a nationwide study.
Methods:
A Prospective observational multi-centre study was performed in 44 Dutch hospitals (7 academic and 37 general), over three consecutive days during the month of November 2007. The STRONG(kids) screening tool consisted of 4 items: (1) subjective clinical assessment, (2) high risk disease, (3) nutritional intake, (4) weight loss. Measurements of weight and length were performed. SD-scores <-2 for weight-for-height and height-for-age were considered to indicate acute and chronic malnutrition respectively.
Results:
A total of 424 children were included. Median age was 3.5 years and median hospital stay was 2 days. Sixty-two percent of the children were classified "at risk" of developing malnutrition by the STRONG(kids) tool. Children at risk had significantly lower SD-scores for weight-for-height, a higher prevalence of acute malnutrition and a longer hospital stay compared to children with no nutritional risk.
Conclusions:
The nutritional risk screening tool STRONG(kids) was successfully applied to 98% of the children. Using this tool, a significant relationship was found between having a "high risk" score, a negative SD-score in weight-for-height and a prolonged hospital stay.
