| Autor: |
Boggio, Anna, Vecchio, Consuelo, Fiscella, Michela, Ferri, Valentina, Spinola, Marta, Piceci, Elisabetta, Muzio, Fulvio |
| Zdroj: |
Nutritional Therapy & Metabolism; Oct-Dec2013, Vol. 31 Issue 4, p182-185, 4p, 1 Chart |
| Abstrakt: |
Introduction: Malnutrition affects 20%-50% of all hospitalized patients and causes increased average stay in the hospital and increasing costs. The objective of this study, which was performed in an acute-care hospital, was to evaluate the possible relationship between the average hospitalization time and the conduction of an early nutritional evaluation. Materials and methods: The average hospitalization time in the 14 operative units involved in this study was evaluated, comparing 2 periods of equal duration (12 months). The first period was selected before the introduction of an Early Nutritional Evaluation procedure, and the second corresponded to the first year after the Early Nutritional Evaluation was introduced. The procedure was characterized by: (i) screening with the “Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool”, performed within 24 hours from hospitalization; (ii) optional nutritional counseling within 24 hours from its request. Results: Among the 14 operative units considered, the 8 that performed an Early Nutritional Evaluation in a median of less than 20% of patients (average, 14%) did not substantially modify the length of the patients’ hospitalization compared to the preceding period (+0.14 days, p=ns). Conversely, the 6 operative units that performed an Early Nutritional Evaluation in more than 20% of patients (average, 78%) did reduce the average length of patients’ hospitalization by more than 1 day compared to the preceding time period (-1.15 days, p<0.05). Conclusions: This study shows a probable relationship between the application of Early Nutritional Evaluation and the reduction of the hospitalization time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Databáze: |
Complementary Index |
| Externí odkaz: |
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