Survival of cognitively impaired older hospitalized patients at risk of malnutrition

IntroductionIn our society offering extra nutritional support is a standard for malnourished patients at admission to hospital. Whether cognitively impaired, older, hospitalized patients at risk of malnutrition would also benefit from this regimen is unknown. This study assesses their 3-months and 1-year survival. Prognostic characteristics predicting life expectancy are also studied.MethodsThis prospective cohort included cognitively impaired, older, hospitalized patients at risk of malnutrition (group 1: dementia, 2: delirium and 3: combination dementia/delirium) newly admitted to an acute hospital and receiving usual nutritional care. Data on survival was completed until 1 year after patients’ admission to the hospital. Possible prognostic characteristics predicting life expectancy data were collected.ResultsA cohort of 116 cognitively impaired, older, hospitalized patients at risk of malnutrition is described. Forty-nine patients were described to have dementia, 48 delirium and 19 a combination of dementia and delirium. Mean age was 81.6 years (SD 8.3, range 60–99 years). Fifty-five patients (47.4%) died within 1 year after hospital admission, 36 of them (31%) died within 3 months after hospital admission. There were no significant differences in survival between the three groups (P = 0.672). Patients with a malignancy or vascular disease were more likely to die within 3 months after discharge. Multivariate analysis showed malignant neoplasm, vascular disease and age as prognostic factors for mortality.ConclusionAlmost half of a cohort of malnourished, cognitive impaired, older, hospitalized patients died within 1 year after hospital admission. Patients with a malignancy or vascular disease were more likely to die early after discharge. It could be defended that in these patients, extra-nutritional support should no longer be offered as a standard.