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. 2018 Apr-Jun;30(2):160-165.
doi: 10.5935/0103-507X.20180034.

Reducing malnutrition in critically ill pediatric patients

[Article in Portuguese, English]
Caroline Abud Drumond Costa  1 , Pedro Celiny Ramos Garcia  1   2 , Daiane Drescher Cabral  1 , Cristian Tedesco Tonial  1   2 , Francisco Bruno  2 , Paulo Roberto Enloft  2 , Kelly Daiane Stochero Velozo  3
Affiliations

Reducing malnutrition in critically ill pediatric patients

[Article in Portuguese, English]
Caroline Abud Drumond Costa et al. Rev Bras Ter Intensiva. 2018 Apr-Jun.

Abstract
in English, Portuguese

Objective: To compare the prevalence of malnutrition during two time periods in a pediatric intensive care unit.

Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of patients admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit of a university hospital during two one-year periods with an interval of four years between them. Nutritional evaluation was conducted based on weight and height measured at admission. The body mass index-for-age was the parameter chosen to evaluate nutritional status, as classified according to the World Health Organization, according to age group.

Results: The total sample size was 881 (406 in the contemporary sample and 475 in the historical sample). There was a significant reduction in malnutrition in the contemporary sample (p = 0.03). Malnourishment in patients in the historical sample was significantly associated with mortality and length of stay, while malnourishment in patients in the contemporary sample was not associated with worse outcomes.

Conclusion: There was a significant reduction in malnutrition among patients in the same pediatric intensive care unit when comparing the two time periods. Our findings of a change in nutritional profile in critically ill patients corroborate the nutritional status data of children and adolescents worldwide.

Objetivo: Comparar a prevalência de desnutrição em dois momentos de uma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica.

Métodos: Estudo transversal retrospectivo, com pacientes internados na unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica de um hospital universitário em dois períodos de 1 ano com intervalo de 4 anos. A avaliação nutricional foi realizada a partir do peso e da estatura aferidos no momento da internação. O índice de massa corporal para idade foi o parâmetro escolhido para avaliação do estado nutricional classificado de acordo com a Organização Mundial de Saúde, conforme faixa etária.

Resultados: A amostra total de pacientes foi de 881 (406 da amostra contemporânea e 475 da amostra histórica). Houve redução significativa da desnutrição na amostra contemporânea (p = 0,03). Os pacientes desnutridos da amostra histórica tiveram associação significativa com mortalidade e tempo de internação, enquanto que os desnutridos da amostra contemporânea não apresentaram piores desfechos.

Conclusão: Houve redução significativa da desnutrição entre os pacientes da mesma unidade de terapia intensiva pediátrica quando comparamos dois momentos. Nossos achados de modificação de perfil nutricional em pacientes gravemente enfermos corroboram dados de estado nutricional de crianças e adolescentes a nível mundial.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: None.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Patient inclusion flowchart.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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