Organization of the Dietetic Service in a Hospital

Jens Rikardt Andersen

Status: Completed

Conditions: Malnutrition; Nutritional Disease

Treatments: Procedure: Standard care; Procedure: Nutritional assessment and therapy

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03582202

H-15004856

Details and patient eligibility

About

In Denmark the dieticians can be organized centrally and called upon if needed, or locally in larger units, or very locally related to bed-units. The organization form is based on tradition not on measurements of quality. We wanted to compare the very local form with the traditional centralized.

Methods: Randomized, unblinded, parallel design. The intervention group (IT) was nutritionally handled by the dietician, and the control group (C) by the nurses as previously with the possibility for dietetic help from the center.

Full description

All patients were screened by NRS-2002 and had their estimated needs calculated (equations in IT, tables in C). The IT was in addition assessed for adapted weight-loss, counseled with a plan for nutrition and followed-up daily by the dietician if at nutritional risk. All patients were re-screened weekly and had their intake registered. Hand-grib-strength (HGS) was measured in both groups at admittance and discharge, and weight three times weekly.

The primary endpoint was re-admission rate to hospital within 2 months.

Enrollment: 33 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• adult
• acutely admitted to hospital

Exclusion criteria

• dementia
• unable to comply with the protocol

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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33 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Dietetic service

Active Comparator group

Description:

Nutritional assessment and therapy by dietitian throughout the hospital stay

Treatment:

Procedure: Nutritional assessment and therapy

standard care

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Nutritional handling by nurses supported by a dietician if needed

Treatment:

Procedure: Standard care