The Effect of Nutritional Status on Length of Hospital Stay in Adult Patients Undergoing Elective Orthopedic Surgery: A Prospective Analysis

Abstract

Aim:Malnutrition has been associated with morbidity and longer length of hospital stay. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of malnutrition on length of hospital stay in adult patients undergoing elective orthopedic surgery.Methods:Three hundred and fifty of 1051 patients, who underwent orthopedic surgery between April 1, 2011 and May 30, 2011, were randomly enrolled in the study. The demographic data, nutritional and comorbidity status and post-operative data (complications, length of hospital stay) of the patients were prospectively recorded in the computer data system. The nutritional status of the patients was evaluated using the Nutritional Risk Screening-2002.Results:A total of 314 patients were included in the study, 59.9% of whom were women. The mean age was 57.1±18.4 years. Forty-nine point seven percent of the patients were younger than 65 years. The mean length of hospital stay was 6.14±4.69 days. The risk of malnutrition in patients over 65 years of age was 7.47 times higher than in younger patients. The length of hospital stay was longer in patients with malnutrition risk (p<0.01).Conclusion:Our findings suggest that malnourished patients have an average of 1.36 days longer length of hospital stay and the resulting cost to the National/Social Health Service cannot be ignored.

Keywords

• malnutrition
• nrs-2002
• orthopedic surgery
• nutrition