NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT IN GERIATRIC PATIENTS IN INTENSIVE CARE: THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PREALBUMIN, ALBUMIN AND TOTAL PROTEIN LEVELS AND THE ROUTE OF NUTRITION ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

Background: Adequate nutrition for geriatric elderly patients hospitalized in the intensive care unit (ICU) is of great importance. Objective: This study included critically-ill patients hospitalized in the ICU and aimed to determine the relationships between nutritional status, patient severity and the time-bound changes in various parameters known to be associated with malnutrition. Methods: The study was conducted by retrospectively examining the files of 112 patients (63 women and 49 men) who received inpatient treatment in the ICU of Bartın State Hospital for at least 21 days. Results: Apache II score (p=0.001), mortality risk score (p=0.003), intermittent nutrition (p = 0.046), low energy intake on day 7 (p=0.008), total protein level on day 30 (p=0.016), prealbumin level on day 21 (p=0.021), the change in prealbumin level from the 1st to the 21st day (p<0.001), and CRP level on day 30 (p=0.025) were significantly different between the groups. Multivariate analysis performed with these variables revealed that the change in prealbumin level from the 1st to the 21st day was the only parameter to be independently associated with length of stay (p=0.003). Conclusions: In geriatric elderly patients admitted to the ICU, it was observed that albumin and total protein values did not change significantly during feeding, whereas prealbumin levels increased significantly on the 21st day compared to the 1st day. Keywords: Nutritionists; Hospitals; Malnutrition; Albumins; Prealbumin.