The frequency of malnutrition in patients hospitalized in KTU Faculty of Medicine Farabi Hospital

Objective: This study aims to determine the demographic demographics, chronic diseases, laboratory values, nutritional levels, frailty, swallowing function parameters and the extent to which nutritional support is provided and the frequency and causes of malnutrition in hospitalized patients. Materials and Methods: In this study, 289 patients hospitalized in hematology, oncology, nephrology, endocrinology, gastroenterology, general internal medicine, immunology, physical therapy and rheumatology, dermatology, chest diseases, infection, neurosurgery, neurology, thoracic surgery, orthopedics and traumatology, urology, cardiology, otorhinolaryngology, general surgery departments of Karadeniz Technical University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between December 2022 and May 2023 were evaluated. Patients' age, gender, anthropometric, biochemical and chronic diseases were recorded. The patients were administered NRS-2002 for malnutrition, SARC-F, Simplified Modified FRIED Frailty Scale for frailty and sarcopenia, FRAIL for patients over 65 years of age, EAT-10 to evaluate eating function and the patients were prospectively evaluated in IBM SPSS 22.0 (KTU licensed). Findings: Of the 289 patients, 177 (61.2%) were male and 112 (38.8%) were female. The mean age was 59.66 ± 15.81 years (minimum: 18, maximum: 94). According to NRS-2002, the malnutrition rate was 15.6%. It was observed that the risk of malnutrition increased with increasing age. There was no significant relationship between gender and malnutrition. In our study albumin, magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, total iron, hemoglobin, ALT values were found to be low in patients at risk of malnutrition, while CRP, ferritin, ALP, GGT values were found to be high in the risk group. Significant associations were found between malnutrition and sarcopenia, and malnutrition and frailty. A significant association was also found between malnutrition and the risk of eating dysfunction. Results: Assessment of nutritional status and detection of malnutrition in hospitalized patients is important both in terms of improving the nutritional status of patients and prognosis. NRS-2002 is a malnutrition screening test that can be used safely in hospitalized patients. Keywords: Malnutrition, frailite, sarcopenia, NRS-2002