Assessment of nutritional risk and associated determinants in adult intensive care unit patients: a prospective...

Malnutrition is common in critically ill patients and increases morbidity and mortality. Nutritional assessment is a fundamental component of nursing care; therefore, early identification of nutritional risk is essential for timely interventions in intensive care units (ICUs).

This study evaluated nutritional risk in adult ICU patients, identified associated clinical and biochemical factors and compared the applicability of Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) and modified Nutrition Risk in the Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) scoring systems.

This prospective longitudinal observational study was conducted in an adult ICU. Nutritional risk was assessed within 24-48 hours of admission and on day seven using NRS-2002 and mNUTRIC. Clinical, nutritional and biochemical variables were analysed using inferential and multivariate statistical methods.

A total of 300 patients were included. According to NRS-2002, 87.7% and 83.7% of patients were at nutritional risk at the first and second assessments, respectively, whereas 57.0% and 59.7% were classified as low risk by mNUTRIC. NRS-2002 scores remained stable over time (p > 0.05), whereas mNUTRIC scores decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Age, caloric intake, C-reactive protein, albumin, haematocrit and blood glucose were significant predictors of nutritional risk, and both tools correlated positively with age.

Nutritional risk is common among ICU patients. Both NRS-2002 and mNUTRIC identified patients at nutritional risk; however, mNUTRIC assessment reflected changes in disease severity and clinical status during ICU follow-up. These findings highlight the importance of routine nurse-led nutritional risk assessment to support early nutritional interventions and optimise patient care in the ICU.