Garcés García-Espinosa L, Argüelles BD, Cabrera VL, de la Cruz HD, de la Guardia LE

Language: Spanish
References: 0
Page: 8-17
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ABSTRACT

Rationale: “General Calixto García Íñiguez” Teaching Hospital (HDGCGI) is a province-tier medical assistance institution with 450 admission beds, and executing 13,600 admissions yearly. HDGCGI is recognized for its surgical activity and the care provided to trauma and critically ill patients. Historical hospital malnutrition rate is 39.3%. Having elapsed 15 years after the first survey of its kind, an update of this indicator is mandatory. Study design: Cross-sectional, analytical. Materials and methods: Nutritional status of 100 patients (Males: 54.0%; Ages ≥ 60 years; Length of stay ≥ 15 days: 28.0%) admitted to the HDGCGI (General Surgery: 29.0%; Internal Medicine: 28.0%) between November 2014 and November 2015 was established in consecutive days by means of the Subjective Global Assessment survey. Updated malnutrition rate was obtained from the sum of patients with (B + C) scores. Results: Updated hospital malnutrition rate was 32.0% (Δ = -7.3%). Malnutrition concentrated among patients with prolonged stays: Length of stay  15 days: 26.4% vs. Length of stay > 15 days: 45.4% (Δ = -19.0%; p > 0.05). Conclusions: Reduction observed in hospital malnutrition rate, albeit modest, should not overlook the fact that a third of the admitted population might show evident signs of malnutrition, notwithstanding the concurring demographic, clinical and sanitary features. Recommendations: A nutritional policy in concordance with the “Best Practices” of institutional reach should be implemented and conducted in order to assure early diagnosis, timely treatment and ultimately the prevention of malnutrition associated/precipitated by disease.