Malnutrition an Indicator of ICU Readmission Risk

Preliminary data presented at the Society of Critical Care Medicine's annual meeting shows adult intensive care unit patients who exhibit signs of protein-calorie malnutrition at admission have a higher risk of readmission, as well as 30-day and 90-day mortality, according to a MedPage Today report.

Researchers found protein-calorie malnourished ICU patients, those with low protein intake combined with low to moderate caloric intake, had a 26.8 percent 30-day readmission rate, while non-malnourished patients had a 16.6 percent readmission rate.

Additionally, the 30-day post-discharge mortality rate for malnourished patients was 14.6 percent, while the rate for non-malnourished patients was 5.7 percent. The 90-day post-discharge mortality rate for malnourished patients was 29.1 percent, compared 10.1 percent for non-malnourished patients.

Researchers said one underlying question is whether patients are malnourished due to their illness or whether  malnourishment contributed to the development of their illness.

More Articles on Readmissions:

Study: Patients Must Take Medication 80% of Time to Avoid Readmission
More Dually-Eligible Patients? More Readmissions Penalties
New Data on Hospital Readmission Reduction Strategies

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