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. 2022 Oct 8;14(19):4195.
doi: 10.3390/nu14194195.

Factors Associated with Significant Weight Loss in Hospitalised Patients with COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Large Teaching Hospital

Dimitra Zannidi  1 , Pinal S Patel  1 , Eleni Leventea  1 , Jessica Paciepnik  1 , Frances Dobson  1 , Caroline Heyes  1 , Robert J B Goudie  2 , Linda M Oude Griep  3 , Jacobus Preller  4 , Lynsey N Spillman  1   3
Affiliations

Factors Associated with Significant Weight Loss in Hospitalised Patients with COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study in a Large Teaching Hospital

Dimitra Zannidi et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

SARS-CoV-2 infection (COVID-19) is associated with malnutrition risk in hospitalised individuals. COVID-19 and malnutrition studies in large European cohorts are limited, and post-discharge dietary characteristics are understudied. This study aimed to assess the rates of and risk factors for ≥10% weight loss in inpatients with COVID-19, and the need for post-discharge dietetic support and the General Practitioner (GP) prescription of oral nutritional supplements, during the first COVID-19 wave in a large teaching hospital in the UK. Hospitalised adult patients admitted between March and June 2020 with a confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis were included in this retrospective cohort study. Demographic, anthropometric, clinical, biochemical, and nutritional parameters associated with ≥10% weight loss and post-discharge characteristics were described. Logistic regression models were used to identify risk factors for ≥10% weight loss and post-discharge requirements for ongoing dietetic input and oral nutritional supplement prescription. From the total 288 patients analysed (40% females, 72 years median age), 19% lost ≥ 10% of their admission weight. The length of hospital stay was a significant risk factor for ≥10% weight loss in multivariable analysis (OR 1.22; 95% CI 1.08-1.38; p = 0.001). In addition, ≥10% weight loss was positively associated with higher admission weight and malnutrition screening scores, dysphagia, ICU admission, and artificial nutrition needs. The need for more than one dietetic input after discharge was associated with older age and ≥10% weight loss during admission. A large proportion of patients admitted to the hospital with COVID-19 experienced significant weight loss during admission. Longer hospital stay is a risk factor for ≥10% weight loss, independent of disease severity, reinforcing the importance of repeated malnutrition screening and timely referral to dietetics.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; malnutrition; nutritional risk; nutritional status; weight loss.

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Conflict of interest statement

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest. All authors have signed a data use agreement form with CUH R&D in order to receive access to the CUH database providing further data defined as de-identified health information that includes only specific information to address a specific analysis in line with the research question as defined in a CUH R&D approved protocol. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript; or in the decision to publish the results.

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