Abstract

Author(s): Cunha Rosa, �?rica Patrícia1; Silva Bacalhau, Silvia Patrícia de Oliveira2; Alves da Silva, Silvia3; Miranda Santos, Iago Alves1; Da Silva Borges, Fernanda Daryella1, Avelino da Silva, Gabriela1; De Siqueira Araújo, Evilaine Ramos1; Cazuza de Medeiros, Géssica1

Introduction: Risk screening associated with the identification of nutritional states ensures the early diagnosis of malnutrition favoring effective treatment. Malnutrition in hospitalized individuals is common, directly affecting the nutritional risk, disease prognosis and increasing the length of stay.

Objective: Identifying the risk and the evolution of the nutritional states of hospitalized adults and elderly people with neurological disorders.

Methods: A longitudinal and retrospective study, developed at the neurological clinic of a university hospital in Recife, Brazil, from January to August 2018. Nutritional Screening by Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS 2002) was carried out within 72 hours of admission. Patients were assessed at admission and discharge by means of anthropometric measurements: weight, height and arm circumference. It was performed Statistical analyzes by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) 21.0.

Results: The study included 86 patients, the nutritional risk was present in 53.5% of the sample. The mean length of hospital stay was 22.3 ± 14.4 days. There was a statistically significant association between nutritional risk screening, body mass index and arm circumference, both at admission and at discharge. It was evidenced an association between nutritional risk and hospitalization period.

Discussion:It is well reported in the literature that prolonged hospitalization is associated with an increased risk of malnutrition. Factors such as the reduction of food intake associated with increased energy and protein requirements and failure to identify the nutritional risk may predispose to increased hospital malnutrition rates.

Conclusion: The nutritional risk was present in more than half of the sample studied. There was a statistically significant association between nutritional risk screening, anthropometric parameters and the length of hospital stay. Regarding the evolution of nutritional status, the majority of adult and elderly individuals presented a diagnosis of eutrophic on admission and discharge.