Refeeding Syndrome in Patients Receiving Parenteral Nutrition Is Not Associated to Mortality or Length of Hospital Stay: A Retrospective Observational Study

Link to article at PubMed

Nutr Clin Pract. 2020 Aug 3. doi: 10.1002/ncp.10563. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Refeeding syndrome (RS) is characterized by severe electrolyte derangement that may be associated with worse clinical outcomes in hospitalized patients. In this study, we aim to assess the incidence of RS in inpatients receiving parenteral nutrition (PN) and its possible association with the length of hospital stay (LHS) and mortality.

METHODS: We conducted a historical cohort study involving adults receiving PN, monitored by a nutrition therapy team in a Brazilian public hospital. Data collection was made from electronic records. We assessed the presence of RS after PN therapy was initiated. The amount of energy delivered within 72 hours of PN, LHS, and mortality were compared between patients with and without RS.

RESULTS: One-hundred ninety-seven patients (aged 57.7 ± 14.1 years; 55.7% men) were followed for a median of 51 days. The incidence of RS was equal to 25.4%. The adequacy of energy delivered in relation to energy requirements within 72 hours (69.4% ± 29.3% vs 61.8% ± 21.6%) was higher in patients with RS than in those without RS (P = .054). The incidence of death was 55.3% and did not differ between groups. The median of LHS was equal to 51.0 (32.0-83.0) days, and it also did not differ between patients with and without RS.

CONCLUSION: RS was identified in 25% of patients receiving PN, but it was not associated to mortality and LHS, even when energy delivery was considered in combination to RS.

PMID:32744370 | DOI:10.1002/ncp.10563

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