Nutritional status parameters of patients with Pressure Ulcers in a University Hospital in southern Brazil

• Autor(a) principal: Kahl, Karine
• Data de Publicação: 2022
• Outros Autores: Fiates, Giovanna Medeiros Rataichesck, Bagolin do Nascimento, Amanda
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: por
• Título da fonte: Rasbran
• Texto Completo: https://rasbran.com.br/rasbran/article/view/1795
• topic: Lesão por Pressão; Estado Nutricional; Terapia Nutricional

Introduction: pressure ulcers (PU) are considered a worldwide problem and may affect up to 40% of hospitalized patients. Besides being influenced by the patient’s previous nutritional status, PU increase hospitalization costs, compromise quality of life and directly interfere in morbimortality. Therefore, nutritional evaluation is a key factor to early identification of malnutrition, weight loss and nutritional inadequacies, being important for lesion prevention and treatment. Objective: analyze nutritional status parameters of patients affected by PU admitted to a University Hospital. Method: biochemical exams, location and degree of lesions, main diagnosis, comorbidities, anthropometric measurements, and food intake info were collected. Descriptive analysis of data was conducted, and association between PU and nutritional status, weight loss, supplement use and inadequate ingestion was determined Results: thirty patients were evaluated; 38% were underweight, 46% presented some degree of arm circumference depletion and 52% had calf girth values lower than ideal; 75% did not meet nutritional needs and 100% presented with hypoalbuminemia. Two-thirds developed PU during hospitalization, 47% of which were malnourished (52% had suboptimal arm circumference values and 76% presented with significant or high weight loss). No significant association was found between PU and nutritional status, weight loss, supplement use and inadequate food ingestion. Conclusion: no statistically significant associations were found, possibly due to the small sample size. The high prevalence of malnutrition markers in patients with PU suggests that studies with higher patient numbers and duration of data collection are needed. The study reinforces the need of nutritional screening of patients from admission onwards.