The correlation between sleep and dietary regime of hospitalized oncology patients

This study investigates the interplay between sleep, dietary intake, nutritional supplementation, and nutritional status in hospitalized cancer patients. Employing a cross-sectional design, 50 patients (≥18 years) underwent assessment, utilizing anthropometric data, NRS-2002 scores, and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Food consumption and dietary acceptance were also evaluated. A ROC curve assessed the ESS's capacity to predict supplement usage. Findings revealed a significant association between NRS-2002 scores, indicating nutritional risk, and daytime sleepiness, as measured by the ESS. However, hospital length of stay did not correlate significantly. The ESS demonstrated potential as a screening tool for supplementation, with a cutoff of 10 points (sensitivity: 76%; specificity: 60%). These results suggest a correlation between sleepiness and food intake in cancer patients, emphasizing the necessity for holistic interventions. While the NRS-2002 and ESS exhibited an association, hospital stay did not significantly impact sleep quality. This underscores the importance of identifying concurrent risks of malnutrition and excessive daytime sleepiness in this population.