PREVALENCE AND COSTS OF MALNUTRITION IN HOSPITALIZED DYSPHAGIC PATIENTS: A SUBANALYSIS OF THE PREDYCES STUDY.

INTRODUCTION

dysphagia and malnutrition are conditions that frequently appear together in hospitalized patients.

OBJECTIVES

the main purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence of malnutrition in patients with dysphagia included in the PREDyCES study as well as to determine its clinical and economic consequences.

METHODS

this is a substudy of an observational, cross-sectional study conducted in 31 sites all over Spain.

RESULTS

352 dysphagic patients were included. 45.7% of patients presented with malnutrition (NRS-2002 ≥ 3) at admission and 42.2% at discharge. In elderly patients (≥ 70 years old) prevalence of malnutrition was even higher: 54.6% at admission and 57.5% at discharge. Also, prevalence of malnutrition was higher in urgent admissions versus those scheduled (45.7% vs 33.3%; p < 0.05) and when admitted to small hospitals vs. large hospitals (62.8% vs 43.9%; p < 0.001). In-hospital length of stay was higher in malnourished patients compared to those well-nourished (11.5 ± 7.1 days vs. 8.8 ± 6.05 days; p < 0.001), and in malnourished patients a tendency towards increase related-costs was also observed, even though it was not statistically significant (8 004 ± 5 854 € vs. 6 967 ± 5 630 €; p = 0.11). Length of stay was also higher in elderly patients (≥ 70 y/o) vs adults (< 70 y/o). 25% of dysphagic patients and 34.6% of malnourished patients with dysphagia received nutritional support during hospitalization.

DISCUSSION

these results confirm that in patients with dysphagia, malnutrition is a prevalent and under recognized condition, that also relates to prolonged hospitalizations.