Associação do risco de sarcopenia com o tempo de internação hospitalar e risco nutricional em pacientes internados em um hospital universitário

Abstract

Sarcopenia is a condition characterized by the progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength, being associated with negative clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients. Objective: To evaluate the association between the risk of sarcopenia and the length of hospital stay and nutritional risk of hospitalized patients. Methods: In a single assessment, which was carried out within 24 hours of hospital admission, body mass index (BMI), nutritional risk by Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS2002), risk of sarcopenia by the Simple Questionnaire to Rapidly Diagnose Sarcopenia (SARC-F) and calf circumference (CC) were collected. The associations between the risk of sarcopenia and nutritional risk and length of stay were tested using univariate logistic regression models. In the case of significant associations, multivariate logistic regression models were constructed considering potential confounders. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The sample included 170 patients, 50.6% women and a median age of 56 years. The group of patients at risk of sarcopenia was 15.3% and, compared to the group without risk, they were older, had a higher prevalence of diabetes, had a longer hospital stay, had a higher nutritional risk and had a lower BMI. In the univariate analysis, nutritional risk and length of stay were significantly associated with the risk of sarcopenia. However, in the multivariate analysis, only nutritional risk remained associated with the risk of sarcopenia after adjustment for potential confounders (odds ratio = 7.81; 95% CI = 2.14 - 28.53). Conclusion: The risk of sarcopenia was significantly associated with nutritional risk in hospitalized patients.