Palliative care patients evaluation of measurable vitamin levels

Patients with risk factors for vitamin deficiency in Palliative Care (PD) services; inability to benefit from adequate sunlight, old age, obesity, malabsorption states, multiple use of drugs such as anticonvulsants and glucocorticoids, and the presence of chronic inflammatory diseases are also frequently encountered. In present study, we intended to evaluate measurable vitamin levels and the relationship of these levels with the frequency of comorbidity, length of hospital stay and mortality. The relationship of these levels with the frequency of comorbidity, length of hospital stay and mortality. The sample of this retrospective descriptive study was formed from PD patients who were treated in the Chest Diseases PD Service of Erzincan Provincial Health Directorate Binali Yıldırım University Mengücek Gazi Training and Research Hospital. The data of the patients were collected through the Hospital Information Management System (HIMS) by using laboratory test requests and the Modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (mCCI). Mean ± standard deviation, percentile distributions, t-test and Anova test were used in the evaluation of the data, p<0.05 was considered significant. The study involved 144 patients, 77 of were female and 67 of male with an average age of 75.22 ± 14.12. The average hospital stay was 19.80 ± 18.54 days. The number of patients with Exitus was 85 (59.9%), while there were 57 alive (40.1%). Comparing the mean age of patients in both groups; were exitus hospital stay were higher than the average of the surviving patients. When the scores distribution by mCCI is considered, 144 participants got an average score of 5.27 ± 2.02. The data obtained shows that Pulmonology PB patients were composed of Pulmonary embolism (46.5%) and heart lung diseases (30.6%). The assessment of hospital applications showed that the patients had higher number of hospitalization and polyclinic-emergency applications before hospitalization in PB service. When the folate level of PB patients was assessed based on length of hospitalization, it was determined that patients with folate level < 5.3 ng/mL had more hospital stay. When the patients' vitamin D levels are compared to their mortality; patients with exitus generally had a low vitamin D (1.66±0.81ng/mL (Min-Max:1-3)). Only 9% (n=13) of the patients with Exitus showed vitamin D levels within normal limits. Although patients with low hemoglobin have longer hospitalization period, the number of hospital administration was no different than those without anemia. The parameters of the acute phase reaction were compared CRP and ferritin and low positive correlation was found. For improving the quality of life of the patients and their relatives; the patients in PB services should be re-evaluated with a holistic perspective and well educated and experienced support teams should be employed. PB services should be seperated in specific branches, in accordance with the patient's needs and diseases. Vitamin levels can be evaluated individually and can be evaluated in terms of when they combine or can mask each other, and if necessary their replacement should not be ignored during the treatment process.