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. 2020 Apr 28;21(1):365.
doi: 10.1186/s13063-020-04301-6.

Effect of nutritional interventions on discharged older patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Tina Munk  1 , Jonas Anias Svendsen  1 , Anne Wilkens Knudsen  1 , Tanja Bak Østergaard  1 , Anne Marie Beck  2   3
Affiliations

Effect of nutritional interventions on discharged older patients: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Tina Munk et al. Trials. .

Abstract

Background: During hospitalization, many older patients are at nutritional risk or malnourished, and their nutritional condition is often further impaired during hospitalization. After discharge, a "nutrition gap" often occurs in which the patient does not receive enough nutrition to ensure an optimal recovery.

Methods: The study is a randomized controlled study ongoing over 112 days. At discharge, the intervention group receives guidance from a clinical dietitian, and an individualized nutrition plan is made. The dietitian will perform telephone follow-up after 4 and 30 days. It will also be possible for the participant, the participant's relatives, or the participant's municipality to contact the dietitian if nutritional questions arise. At the time of discharge, the intervention group will receive a package containing foods and drinks that will cover their nutritional needs on the first day after discharge. They will also receive a goodie bag containing samples of protein-rich, milk-based drinks. Data are collected on quality of life, appetite, physical function, dietary intake, weight, height, energy and protein needs, and experience of discharge and cooperation with the municipality. Information about nutrition status will be sent to the municipality so that the municipality can take over nutritional treatment. The control group receives a standard treatment.

Discussion: This study is the first to combine previously successful single nutritional interventions into a multimodal intervention whose aim is to obtain an effect on patient-related outcomes. We hope that the results will prove beneficial and help to ensure the cross-sector quality of nutritional support to older patients.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03488329. April 5, 2018.

Keywords: Cross-sectoral transition; Discharge follow-up; Hospital readmissions; Malnutrition; Nutritional intervention; Older patients.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Planned schedule for enrollment, intervention, and assessment in Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials format. *From the hospital patient register, which is an electronic health record
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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