Weight Change during Hospitalization: Recognition of Risk Factors. Prospective Study at Benghazi Medical Center

Under nutrition and weight loss associated with prolonged hospitalization is a cause of significant morbidity and mortality. It is also associated with impaired recovery from illness, surgery, and increased hospital length of stay. Despite the growing awareness of the hazards of both over- and under nutrition, nutritional care is often neglected in clinical practice, and nutritional concerns are overlooked or considered of low importance.

The aim of this research was to assess changes in weight status during the course of hospitalization, evaluate nutrition risk factors in Benghazi Medical Center and evaluate the factors independently associated with weight change. A total of 30 patients in total were enrolled, (11 females, and 19 males). Anthropometric measurements were taken by professionally trained researchers. End points were preadmission and post admission. BMI, mid- arm circumference, laboratory investigations were all collected from patients. Interview based questionnaire was used to collect data on nutritional risk factors and patient files were checked for documentation and nutritional referrals. A statistically significant differences was found between preadmission and post-admission BMI and mid arm circumference. The mean of weight loss among patients was (1.076 kg), and mean arm circumference loss was 6.69 cm. Patients charts lacked information on poor appetite, dentures, teeth or swallowing problems, information on food provided. No referrals to dietitians were found in all patient files or in discharge summary. Only one patient reported been visited by a dietitian but was not documented in file.

Female gender, admission to surgical ward and being single as a marital status were associated with losing more weight. Physiological and food related problems correlated with the nutritional status of the subjects. The study finding reveals that despite patient undergoing anthropometric changes during hospital stay, there were no information of nutritional status in patient files, very little, if any, nutritional intervention, little documentation of risk factors, and nutritional consultation was almost lacking.