Glucocorticoid treatment, immobility, and constipation are associated with nutritional risk

The hypothesis of this clinical study was to determine whether glucocorticoid use and immobility were associated with in-hospital nutritional risk.

One hundred and one patients consecutively admitted to the medical wards were enrolled. Current medical conditions, symptoms, medical history, eating and drinking habits, diagnosis, laboratory findings, medications, and anthropometrics were recorded. The Nutrition Risk Score 2002 (NRS-2002) was used as a screening instrument to identify nutritional risk.

The results confirmed that glucocorticoid use and immobility are independently associated with nutritional risk determined by the NRS-2002. Constipation could be determined as an additional cofactor independently associated with nutritional risk.

Glucocorticoid treatment, immobility, and constipation are associated with nutritional risk in a mixed hospitalized population. The presence of long-time glucocorticoid use, immobility, or constipation should alert the clinician to check for nutritional status, which is an important factor in mortality and morbidity.