The Relationship of Nutritional Treatments Applied to Patients in a Nutritional Clinic and Mortality

Background Malnutrition is a change in body composition as a result of inadequate nutrient intake or malabsorption. It has a significant effect on morbidity and mortality as a result of increased catabolism in acute and/or chronic diseases of many systems or organs. This study was conducted in a chest diseases branch hospital; applicants to the nutritional clinic are mostly patients with acute or chronic respiratory failure. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of patients at the time of admission to the nutritional clinic and the relationship between nutritional support treatment and mortality. Materials and methods The data of 750 patients who applied to the nutritional clinic and consulted clinics, services, and intensive care units were retrospectively analyzed. The patients' demographic data, diagnoses, body mass indexes (BMI), Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002) scores were determined to evaluate malnutrition risks, nutritional support treatments were recorded as enteral, total parenteral, oral enteral supplementation, and nutritional follow-up was initiated. The patients’ main diagnoses were the cause of malnutrition, which were divided into five groups: tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), malignancy, neurological diseases, and interstitial lung disease. Thirty-dayand 90-day mortality data were recorded. Results A total of 737 patients were included in the study. Of them, 478 (64.8%) were in the geriatric age group. There were 662 (89.9%) patients with an NRS score of ≥3 who were evaluated as malnourished. Enteral nutrition is higher in patients with neurological disease and interstitial lung disease as compared to other diseases. Oral enteral supplementation (OES) is lower in patients with neurological disease and interstitial lung disease compared to other diseases. The rate of nutritional follow-up is higher in patients with interstitial lung disease than in other diseases. The ages and NRS scores of those with mortality were statistically significantly higher than those without mortality. According to the main diagnoses, the rate of COPD patients is significantly lower and the rate of malignant patients significantly higher in patients. The increase in BMI and NRS-2002 score of 3 and above were risk factors for 30-day mortality. OES was the most recommended nutritional product in patients with or without 30-day and 90-day mortality. Conclusion Eighty-nine point nine percent (89.9%) of the patients were evaluated as malnourished, and OES was the most recommended nutritional supplement in all patient groups. Mortality was higher in the malignant group and lower in the COPD group as compared to others. There was no correlation between the nutritional product and mortality.