[Effect of early nutritional intervention in the a outcome of patients at risk clinical nutrition].

INTRODUCTION

Hospital malnutrition is a multi-causal process and high prevalence. Nutritional intervention at an early stage improves prognosis of affected patients.

OBJECTIVE

To compare the effect of early nutritional intervention with a routine care on clinical outcome in patients with detected nutritional risk screening tool NRS Nutritional Risk Screening 2002, entering an institution of complex health.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

A quasi-experimental study. Was assessed in the first 48 hours of admission to 891 patients, of whom 247 were at nutritional risk, 116 were the routine care group and 54 the intervention group. We evaluated complications, hospital stay, weight loss, change in body mass index and protein-calorie adequacy.

RESULTS

Patients undergoing caloric intake had higher (1617 ± 444.5 vs 1366 ± 467.1 kcal, p = 0.002) and protein (1.2 ± 0.2 vs 0.9 ± 0.3 g, p = 0.000), average weight gain of 0.7% vs a loss of 2.3% (p = 0.000), a proportion of moderate complications 8.2% vs 25.2% (p = 0.012) and decreased time hospital stay of 2.2 days (p = 0.138) compared with routine care group.

CONCLUSION

Early nutritional intervention in patients at nutritional risk decreased the proportion of moderate complications, improved the adequacy of energy, protein and nutritional evolution in terms of weight gain and change in BMI. The length of stay did not differ significantly.