Survival of multi-pathological inpatients with nutritional risk according to their PROFUND index

To determine the clinical and functional characteristics and to compare the survival of a group of patients with multiple pathologies with PEG versus another group with similar characteristics of comorbidity and nutritional status, fed orally.

A retrospective cohort study of hospitalized patients at the Costa del Sol Hospital (2016-21) was conducted. The inclusion criteria were multi-pathological patients belonging to categories E and G, defined in the Assistance Process of the Ministry of Health, with dysphagia and nutritional risk. All patients with PEG were included. The non-PEG group was obtained with simple random sampling. Dysphagia was evaluated with the volume-viscosity clinical examination method. Analytical parameters, survival, PROFUND index and nutritional risk were also evaluated. Statistical analysis and a Cox multivariate regression model (95% CI) were performed with a significance level of P < .05.

A total of 1928 patients with multiple pathologies were categorized, almost 30% with dysphagia. 84 patients were fed by PEG. Of the 434 orally fed subjects, 84 were selected, a total sample of 168 patients. The most frequent diagnoses were neurological disease and/or dementia versus stroke in the non-PEG group. Both groups presented malnutrition in more than 70% and an intermediate-high PROFUND. Adjusting the groups with nutritional status and the PROFUND index, the PEG group had a better prognosis (P = .035).

The adjustment of the studied population with the PROFUND index and its nutritional status determines a longer survival of patients with PEG.