Impacto da hospitalização sobre o estado nutricional de crianças submetidas à internação hospitalar

Abstract

Objective: To know the evolution of the nutritional status of children admitted at the HU-UFS and to evaluate the relation between the reason of hospitalization, the nutritional therapy characteristics, the length of hospitalization and the evolution of these patients nutritional status. Methods: Cross-sectional and retrospective study that evaluated all children hospitalized in HU-UFS pediatric clinic during a 06 month period. The nutritional status, Socio-demographic and hospitalization related variables were evaluated. Stature/Age and BMI/Age indices were calculated as Z score. Results: During admission, 27,65% of the children had thinness or severe thinness, while on discharge this value decreased to 12,77%. It was ascertained that 68,09% of the patients had an increase in their BMI/Age z score, 27,66% a decrease and 4,26% maintained the score. The differences between the BMI/Age Z scores where statistically significant, when comparing admission and discharge, but none of the nutritional intervention evaluated, by their own, was significant to enhance the patients nutritional status. Statistical correlation between length of stay and decrease on Z score BMI/Age wasn’t found. Conclusions: Although the hospital environment isn’t ideal to treat malnutrition, it was able to improve patients BMI/Age Z score. The correct diagnosis and appropriate institution therapy in malnourished patients should increasingly be part of medicine students grade and health personnel routine in order to reduce costs and improve patients’ quality of life.