Relationship of Nutritional Status at the Time of Admission to Length of Hospital Stay ( LOS ) and Mortality : A Prospective Study Based on Computerized Nutrition Screening.
- Author:
Young Hae KIM
1
;
Ae Ri SEO
;
Mi Kyung KIM
;
Yeon Mi LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Clinical Nutrition, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
nutritional status;
computerized nutrition screening;
nutritional risk factor;
length of hospital stay;
mortality
- MeSH:
Chungcheongnam-do;
Humans;
Length of Stay*;
Lymphocyte Count;
Mass Screening*;
Mortality*;
Nutritional Status*;
Prospective Studies*;
Risk Factors;
Serum Albumin
- From:Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
1999;5(1):48-53
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
This study was prospectively conducted to investigate any relationship of nutritional status at the time of admission to length of hospital stay and mortality. All patients admitted to the Asan Medical Center between October 13 and November 12, 1997 who met the study criteria were included in the study. Patients were classified as Not-at-risk, At-risk I or At-risk II based on the levels of serum albumin and total lymphocyte count in a computerized nutrition screening program. Sixty three percent of the patients were classified as Not-at-risk Group, 29% as At-risk Group I and 8% as At-risk Group II. Significant correlation was observed between nutritional status and LOS (P<0.01) as well as mortality rate (P<0.05). The more the patient had the nutritional risk factors, the longer the LOS and the higher the mortality rate were. Further studies have to be done in order to demonstrate cost-effectiveness of medical therapy for the malnourished hospitalized patients.
