Implementation of Nutritional Efforts on Discharged Older Patients (KMH2)

Herlev and Gentofte Hospital

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Malnutrition

Treatments: Other: Nutritional treatment

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06706661

F-24065575

Details and patient eligibility

About

The aim of the study is to implement a nutritional treatment when discharging older patients at risk of malnutrition.

Data collected in the study will include an assessment of whether a combination of nutritional treatment and a liaison team reduces the risk of readmissions and mortality, improves nutritional status, physical function and quality of life

Full description

During hospitalization, many older patients are at risk of malnutrition. Malnutrition in older adults is related to reduced physical function, more complications, re-admissions, days in hospital and reduced quality of life. As hospitalizations are often short (approximately 5 days), it is important to focus on nutritional intake during the convalescence period.

Upon discharge, a "Nutrition Gap" often occurs in practice, where the patient does not consume sufficient nutrition to ensure an optimal convalescence period. The lack of nutritional follow-up in connection with the discharge of older patients has been shown to have a markedly negative effect on, among other things, functional ability and readmissions. A study from Herlev Hospital, where the effect of a nutritional treatment upon discharge of older patients was investigated, showed a significant effect on muscle strength, quality of life and nutritional status. Another study from Herlev Hospital has shown that by associating a clinical dietitian with a liaison team and thus focusing on nutrition, the readmission rate was halved.

The problem is that it has not been investigated whether such a cross-sectoral effort can be implemented in practice and the results confirmed.

Hypothesis 1 is that it is possible to include and retain the older patients who are discharged with the liaison team for an effort that includes treatment of the risk of malnutrition and that the older participants find the effort relevant

Hypothesis 2 is that nutritional treatment will be able to reduce the number of unintended readmissions and thereby be cost-effective. Furthermore, it is expected that the nutritional treatment will increase the participants' nutritional status, muscle strength, muscle mass, quality of life and possibly have a positive effect on mortality.

Enrollment: 2,000 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 50+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Prescription of the Liaison team At nutritional risk according to NRS2002 Age 50+ Can read, hear and understand Danish or English Cognitive able to participate in the study, based on whether they are informed in time, place and own data

Exclusion criteria

Receives enteral or parenteral nutrition Following a special diet including texture modified food and drinks Short life expectancy Not deemed eligible by the project staff

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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2,000 participants in 1 patient group

Nutritional treament

Experimental group

Description:

At the day of discharge the intervention group (IG) receives a package containing foods and drinks covering dietary requirements for the next 24 h. Further, a goodie-bag containing samples of protein-rich milk-based drinks is provided. At day 4 after discharge, the IG receives dietetic counselling including a recommendation of daily exercise, and an individual nutrition plan. Information regarding recommendations of nutritional therapy after discharge is systematically and electronically communicated to the municipality. The dietician performes telephone follow-ups on day 30 and a home visit at 12 weeks

Treatment:

Other: Nutritional treatment