Characteristics of patients admitted with enteral nutrition in a service of clinical medicine

BACKGROUND: When a patient is unable to swallow enough calories by mouth and has his digestive tube working normally, the Enteral Nutrition (EN) is prescribed. Our aims was identify the patient who requires EN by sounding at Clinical Medical admission. METHODS: From 11/2001 to 11/ 2002; 331 patients were attended in common rooms. 50 of them (15%) required EN. Retrospective descriptive study was made, evaluating: demographic data, diagnoses, comorbilities, self-validity, staying, nosocomial complications, studies, medicaments, inter-consulting and mortality as well. RESULTS: In 50 patients under EN, 56 % were men, with an age rate of 65 years Standar Error (SE) 2.37 and daily life activity medium rate was 2 (SE) 0.35. Diagnoses at admission: Strocke 22%, acute pneumonia of community 22%, pneumonia by bronchoaspiration 10 %, acute confusional syndrome 10%, etc. Comorbilities: 54% presented 3 or more concurrent diseases, Hypertension 60 %, Dementia 28%, type 2 Diabetes and strocke 26%, iskemic cardiopathy 14%, etc. Admission time rate: 6 days (SE) 2.02, staying at intensive care unit 40%. Nosocomial complications came up in 34%, 76% ACS, 11.7% urinary tract infection, pneumonia and endovascular infection 1 each. 4 labs were required in rate (SE) 1.14, and 3 complementary studies per patient (SE) of 0.24. In ambulatory treatment they used 3 drugs as an average (SE) 0.37. The highest prescription day approached 7 as average (SE) of 0.61. At discharge they left with an average of 4 (SE) 0.39. In every case kinesiotherapy and phonoaudiology were used as well. Ther was interconsulting regarding infectology in 24%, general surgery 16%. Mortality 22%. CONCLUSION: EN is usual in clinical admission. It regards an elderly patient with lacking self-validity, who over 50% of cases presents more than three comorbilities (mostly hypertension). Facts of admission usually registered: neurological pathologies and infections. Admission length was the same as general settlers. Almost half of them needed intensive care assistance. Nosocomial complications are usually found. They are patients who require many drugs at home, while admitted and discharge time as well. In every one kinesiotherapy and phonoaudiology were applied. Mortality raised high. Unable chance to use commercial diets was not a trouble to feed them.