Research Article

Prognostic Indices of Poor Nutritional Status and Their Impact on Prolonged Hospital Stay in a Greek University Hospital

Table 1

Participants’ characteristics according to MUST categories.

VariableWell nourishedAt risk of malnutritionMalnourished value

(%)107 (36.2)125 (42.3)63 (21.4)
Age (years)59.6 (17.7)63.9 (16.2)69.8 (16.3)***0.001
Females 29 (27.1)48 (38.4)38 (60.3)0.000
BMI28.1 (4.8)26.2 (4.7)*25.4 (5.7)**0.001
Presurvey LOS (days)6.3 (7.1)7.3 (8.7)9.8 (8.2)*0.017
Hospital LOS (days)3.7 (2.3)7.4 (4.6)***14.1 (9.1)***0.000
Comorbidities
 Hypertension20 (18.7)16 (12.8)10 (15.8)0.329
 Diabetes mellitus18 (16.9)26 (20.8)13 (20.6)
 Stroke17 (15.8)14 (11.2)7 (11.2)
 COPD7 (6.6)6 (4.8)5 (7.9)
 Cardiovascular disease6 (5.6)2 (1.6)0
 No comorbidity39 (36.4)61 (48.8)28 (44.5)
Autonomy
 Out of home100 (93.3)88 (70.9)19 (30.1)0.000
 Home only5 (4.6)20 (16.2)13 (20.7)
 Bedridden2 (2.1)17 (12.9)31 (49.2)
Health status self-assessment
 Fine6 (5.7)4 (3.4)1 (1.6)0.000
 Very good20 (19.1)20 (16.2)3 (4.7)
 Good38 (35.2)31 (24.8)11 (17.5)
 Satisfactory32 (29.5)33 (26.5)17 (26.9)
 Poor11 (10.5)37 (29.1)31 (49.3)
Appetite status
 Abnormal14 (13.1)40 (31.6)48 (75.9)0.000
 Normal93 (87.3)85 (68.2)15 (24.1)
Dietary type
 Regular diet76 (71.1)69 (55.2)28 (44.4)0.003
 Specific diet27 (25.2)49 (39.2)26 (41.2)
 Enteral nutrition2 (1.9)2 (1.7)6 (9.5)
 TPN2 (1.9)5 (3.9)3 (4.9)
Quantity of food last
 Normal78 (74.7)69 (58.3)17 (31.4)0.000
 Less than normal17 (16.5)17 (14.4)8 (15.4)
 Half normal7 (6.5)18 (15.2)8 (14.8)
 Quarter normal2 (2.3)14 (12.1)21 (38.4)
Recent weight loss
 Yes29 (25.2)57 (45.5)46 (73.3)0.000
 No 64 (60.5)50 (39.8)6 (10)
 Gain weight12 (11.8)15 (12.3)2 (3.3)
 Do not know2 (2.5)3 (2.4)9 (14.7)
Arm perimeter <22 cm2 (1.9)9 (7.2)36 (57.1)0.000
Calf perimeter <31 cm7 (6.5)28 (22.4)45 (71.4)0.000

Note. Data are expressed as mean (SD) or number of patients (%).
MUST: Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool; BMI: Body Mass Index; MNA: Mini Nutritional Assessment; LOS: length of stay; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; TPN: total parenteral nutrition; ; ; versus well-nourished group.