Study: High prevalence of malnutrition in Portuguese Internal Medicine wards

ANUMEDI STUDY

European Journal of Internal Medicine accepted the multicentre ANUMEDI study for publication. ANUMEDI study is coordinated by the Internal Medicine Study Group of the Portuguese PEN Society (APNEP).

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition in Internal Medicine Portuguese wards and to identify and characterize malnourished patients.

It was performed a cross-sectional observational multicentre study in internal medicine wards of 24 Portuguese hospitals. Malnutrition was assessed using PG-SGA at admission.

MAJOR FINDINGS

• 73% prevalence of malnutrition (56% moderate/suspected malnutrition; 17% with severe malnutrition).
• Low education level, admissions during previous year and multiple comorbidities increase the odds of being malnourished.

Despite disease-related malnutrition is a significant burden, with high prevalence rates depending on the studied population, the prevalence and determinants of malnutrition in patients admitted to Internal Medicine wards remain unclear.

This study calls for a more proactive and preventive malnutrition policy, including screening, assessment, and monitoring of malnutrition and its risk factors across the chain of care.