Abstract

SOCARRAS SUAREZ, María Matilde et al. Some casues leading to malnutrition in hospitalized patients. Rev cubana med [online]. 2004, vol.43, n.2-3, pp. 0-0. ISSN 1561-302X.

It is known that malnutrition is frequent and that it has more risks of complications, takes more time of hospitalization and worsens the prognosis. This study is conducted to determine the frequency of malnutrition at the hospital, the hospital stay and to identify some actions leading to malnutrition among the admitted patients. 242 patietns of both sexes admitted in all wards were studied. A global subjective survey on the nutritional status and another survey were done. Some data were taken from the medical history, as well as current weight and height at admission, albumin, and total count of lymphocites at the beginning and evolutively. The significance between the lab tests made at the two moments of the study was assessed. The significance level 0,05 was used in all tests. 39.3 % of malnutrition was found at the hospital. Malnutrition was higher (29.5 %) in patients with prolonged stay (15 days or more). It was concluded that hospital malnutrition was elevated and that there were undesirable practices that affected the nutritional status of the inpatients. Malnutrition increased as the hospital stay was longer.

Keywords : Energy malnutrition; global subjective evaluation; hospital stay; inpatients.