MEDICAL NEWS
The
Magnitude of
Malnutrition Malnutrition delays recovery from illness and increases complications, frequency of hospital admissions and length of stay.
What is malnutrition? Malnutrition begins with inadequate intake of protein and/or energy over prolonged periods of time, which results in the loss of fat stores and/or muscle stores. Malnutrition occurs in the presence or absence of inflammation that can be related to: acute injury or illness such as major infections, sepsis, Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, trauma or severe burns. It may also result from social or environmental factors such as starvation, alcoholism or eating disorders or in chronic illness such as chronic organ failure, cancer, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or inflammatory bowel disease. Malnutrition can negatively impact overall clinical outcomes, regardless of body mass index (BMI). Research has shown measurable and positive effects when malnourished patients receive nutritional treatment. Nutrition interventions in gastrointestinal patients have led to reductions in overall complications. Studies have also shown that nutritional interventions can significantly reduce the risk of pressure ulcers. Also, for patients with at least one known subsequent readmission to the hospital, oral nutrition supplementation provided during hospitalization has been associated with a significant reduction in the probability of a 30-day readmission. Malnutrition delays recovery from illness and increases complications, frequency of hospital admissions and length of stay. Some consequences of unidentified malnutrition include: Malnourished patients have two days longer average length of hospital stay, are three times higher risk for developing surgical site infection, two times more likely to develop a pressure ulcer in the hospital, and account for 45 percent of patients who fall in the hospital.
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