Implementation of Nutritional Efforts on Discharged Older Patients

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Malnutrition

• Registration Number: NCT06706661
• Lead Sponsor: Herlev and Gentofte Hospital

Brief Summary

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

Detailed 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.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2024-11-22
• Study First Submitted QC: 2024-11-22
• Study First Posted: 2024-11-26
• Study Start: 2025-01-06
• Status Verified: 2025-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-04-04
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-08
• Primary Completion: 2030-12-31
• Study Completion: 2030-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 2000

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Eligibility	Assessed at baseline	Eligibility will be assessed as the number of patients who fulfil the inclusion criteria out of the number of patients discharged with the liaison team
Recruitment	Assessed at baseline	Recruitment rate will be assessed as the number of patients recruited out of the number of eligible patients
Retention	Assessed at three months	Retention rate will be assessed as the number of patients who complete the nutritional treatment out of the total number of patients recruited

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Mortality	30 days, 12 weeks, 6 monts, 1 year and 3 year	health care records
Hospital re-admissions	30 days, 12 weeks, 6 monts, 1 year and 3 year	health care records
Health related Quality of life	12 weeks	Euro-qol tool EQ5D5L
Appetite	30 days, 12 weeks	SNAQ with a score from 5 to 20 where a score at or below 14 can predict weight loss
Muscle strenght	4 days, 30 days, 12 weeks	30 seconds chair stand
Dietary intake	30 days, 12 weeks	24 hours recall
weight	4 days, 30 days	body weight measurement
muscle mass	12 weeks	calf circumference

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Herlev and Gentofte Hospital; 🇩🇰 Herlev, Denmark