Fattori che influenzano lo screening nutrizionale nei pazienti ricoverati in ospedali per acuti: un'indagine di prevalenza regionale (2017)

Abstract

Background: the prevalence of malnutrition among hospitalized patients varies between 19.8% and 50%, with approximately 31% of all hospital patients considered malnourished or at nutritional risk, both in European and in Italian hospitals. Nutritional screening is necessary to identify nutrition-related problems, but it is not largely performed at the admission or during hospitalization.

Objectives: to identify factors associated with the probability of performing nutritional screening during hospitalization and to describe BMI among inpatients in acute facilities of Friuli Venezia Giulia (FVG) Region (Northern Italy).

Design: point prevalence survey.

Setting and participants: the study was conducted in all the 18 hospitals of the FVG regional healthcare system; 58 trained surveyors collected data from 2nd to 30th October 2017.

Main outcome measures: weight and height, presence of parenteral and enteral nutrition data of 2,553 patients were collected.

Results: BMI was determinable for 77.2% of people under study. Negative predictors for BMI screening were: spoke hospital (p<0.001), age over 65 years (p=0.005), both 'ultimately fatal' (p<0.001) and 'rapidly fatal' (p<0.001) McCabe score, presence of minimally invasive surgery (p=0.02); major surgery was a positive predictor (p<0.001). Prevalence of parenteral and enteral nutrition prescription was 4.0% and 3.6%, respectively; statistical differences were found according to care units and McCabe score (p<0.001).

Conclusions: globally, BMI for inpatients in the surveyed hospitals is often assessed, but more investigations are needed to understand the reasons why the reported differences exist.

Keywords: nutrition assessment; nutritional risk; BMI; inpatients; hospital.