Estudio piloto: riesgo nutricional al ingreso de la internación pediátrica

Background: Malnutrition at admission of paediatric hospitalization is a risk factor for negative evolution and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. The main objective was to learn about the frequency of malnutrition and undernourishment as well as the nutritional risk at hospital admission, through a sample of paediatric patients. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional was taken, chosen from long term patients in Hospital Dr. Humberto Notti.  A nutritional screening (Strong Kids) was applied, assessing nutritional risk within 48 hours. of hospital admission and nutritional diagnosis was obtained with the corresponding anthropometric data. For the statistical analysis, Fisher Test and Student test were used. Results: 134 patients were admitted (59% women), 4 years of age, (1 to 9 years) (medium sized and IQR), and hospitalization lasted 4 days (3 to 7 days). At the ingress, 17% presented acute malnutrition, and 60% presented moderate nutritional risk. Those who suffered from high nutritional risk, went through more frequent pain, change of weight, less eating, diarrhea, and signs of undernourishment, than those who suffered from moderated nutritional risk. (Fisher < 0, 0001).  Conclusion: Malnutrition or undernourishment at hospital admission affects about the 20% of patients and more than half presents moderated nutritional risk. These two observations justify the systematic carrying out of an evaluation of the nutritional status