Implantação de um protocolo de suplementação nutricional em idosos de um hospital privado do Sul de Minas Gerais

Abstract

The metabolic, physiological, anatomical and psychosocial changes present in aging can impact the nutritional status of the elderly. The study aimed to develop and implement a supplementation protocol in the elderly at a private hospital in the south of Minas Gerais. This is an uncontrolled clinical trial of intervention, with a convenience sample. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee for Research with Human Beings of the Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL- MG) under the substantiated opinion number 4.644.758, CAAE 4 4896821.0.0000.5142. Participants were divided into two groups: supplemented (received oral or enteral food supplement during hospitalization) and non-supplemented. They were screened using the NRS 2002 and subsequently had their nutritional status classified using the GLIM tool. Current weight, usual weight, height, percentage of weight loss, food intake in the last week, handgrip strength, arm circumference, calf circumference and biochemical tests on admission and discharge were monitored. 51 patients participated in the study, 38 from the supplemented group, consisting of 18 women and 20 men, with a mean age of 80 years (SD=7.57) and 13 from the non-supplemented group, consisting of 11 women and 02 men, with a mean age of 73 years (SD=8.13). The average time of receipt of dietary supplements by the supplemented group was two days. Regarding the mixed generalized linear model (GLMM), there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the variables creatinine (1.26 versus 1.16mg/dL) and zinc (6.12 versus 11.22mg) in the group supplemented. It is concluded that the dietary supplement had a positive impact on the reduction of the biochemical marker creatinine (1.26 versus 1.16mg/dL), one of the indirect markers of renal function, and on the increase of the dietary marker zinc (6, 12 versus 11.22mg), important in immunity and protein modulation, which are extremely important factors in the health of the elderly. It was also verified that the time of receiving the food supplement is a predictive factor in the results related to anthropometric markers of nutritional status in the elderly.