Inadequate Nutritional Status of Hospitalized Cancer Patients

Abstract

In oncology practice, nutrition and also metabolic activity are essential to support the nutritional status and prevent malignant cachexia. It is important to evaluate the patients and plan the maneuvers at the start of the therapy. The primary objective of the study is to define the nutritional status of hospitalized patients and the factors affecting it in order to define the most susceptible patients and maneuvers for better nutritional support. Methods: Patients hospitalized in oncology clinic for therapy were evaluated for food intake and nutritional status through structured interviews. The clinical properties, medical therapies, elements of nutritional support were noted and predictors of inadequate nutritional status (INS) were analyzed. Results: Four hundred twenty three patients, between 16-82 years old (median: 52) were evaluated. Nearly half of the patients (185, 43%) reported a better appetite at home than in hospital and declared that hospitalization is an important cause of loss of appetite (140/185, 75.6%). Presence of nausea/vomiting (N/V), depression, age less than 65 and use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were associated with increased risk of INS in hospitalized cancer patients. On the contrary, steroid medication showed a positive impact on nutritional status of cancer patients. Conclusion: N/V, younger age, presence of depression and NSAIDs medication were associated with INS in hospitalized cancer patients. Clinicians should pay more attention to this group of patients. In addition, unnecessary hospitalizations and medications that may disturb oral intake must be avoided. Corticosteroids are important tools for managing anorexia and INS.

Prevalence and factors associated with malnutrition on patients with cancer in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional study

“…Another study carried out in Turkey, reported that younger age was associated with inadequate nutritional status in hospitalised patients with cancer. 33 Among cancer-related variables, we found several variables, including PS, to be significantly associated with nutritional status. A prior study concluded that malnutrition affects PS in patients with pancreatic cancer.…”

Atitudes alimentares de pacientes oncológicos hospitalizados

“…A relevância dessa relação não diminui na terminalidade de vida, entretanto se intensifica outras sensações causadas pela ausência ou dificuldade de ingestão (Amorim & Silva, 2021)., como por exemplo, que sua sobrevivência está ameaçada, devido à piora da qualidade de vida. Acerca dos sentimentos negativos relacionados com a hospitalização, pode-se correlacionar com um estudo realizado com 423 pacientes internados na especialidade da oncologia, em que os participantes relataram que seu apetite é melhor em casa do que no hospital e a hospitalização impacta na perda de apetite (Ali, Dılşa, Filiz & Güngör, 2017).…”

Penetrating Keratoplasty with a Preserved Donor Cornea in Veterinary Ophthalmology

“…Firstly, the graft preparation is associated with a number of legal and physical issues. Secondly, the preservation of biomechanical and optical functions of the graft and its storage are also problems of high complexity (Costa, Leiva, & Gimenez, 2018;Ito, Terakado, Ichikawa, Zama, Minami, Kudo, & Kanemaki, 2014;Lacerda, Gimenez, Laguna, & Costa, 2017;Maggs, Miller, & Ofri, 2008;Alkan et al, 2017).…”