Effects of Oral Nutrition Supplement in Thai Malnourished Patients : A Cross-sectional Nutrition Day Survey

Prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients varies from 30-70% depend on category of patients recruited. Adverse effects of malnutrition include increase of infection complication, increase hospital length of stay, and increase mortality. Prescription of oral nutrition supplement (ONS) have been proved to provide patients more calorie and protein intake and can improve patients' outcome.

Despite the proved benefits of oral nutrition supplement(ONS), prescription of it in Thai hospitalized patients are far less than it should. The main reason of this under-practice is the limitation of health policies which considered ONS as an optional from main meals. Additional cost for ONS has to be paid by patients themselves, therefore the patients who have no willing to pay usually refuse to receive ONS. Unawareness of physician regarding its benefits is also a problem. In order to convince Thai authorities to allow for reimbursement of ONS and encourage prescription of ONS among physicians, an evidence based benefits of ONS in large Thai population is needed.

The nD study was a single-day, population-based, standardized, multinational, cross-sectional audit and was performed worldwide, includes Thailand, in hospitals, nursing homes and intensive care units performing since 2006 to present. Every year, registered hospitals survey their patients regarding nutritional status, nutritional support. A follow-up for clinical outcome are perform at 30 days after the first survey, include mortality, readmission. This study will based on data of Thai patients collected from nD study during 2006-2016.