[RISK OF MALNUTRITION ASSOCIATED WITH POOR FOOD INTAKE, PROLONGED HOSPITAL STAY AND READMISSION IN A HIGH COMPLEXITY HOSPITAL IN COLOMBIA].

Introduction: hospitalary malnutrition is highly prevalent and is related with prolonged hospital stay, increase in attention costs and associated clinic complications.

Objective: to determine the risk of malnutrition in hospitalized patients in a highly specialized health center and its associated factors.

Methods: questionnaires of the Nutrition Day initiative were applied to 70 adult patients of a health institution of high level of complexity in Bucaramanga, Colombia. The parameters included anthropometric and socio demographic data, clinical history, factors related to the diet, and the patients' perception regarding their health status. Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) was applied to assess the risk of malnutrition. To establish the reasons for prevalence (RP), binomial regression models were used.

Results: age and length of hospital stay, at the time of the baseline, were in average, 61.89 ± 15.17 years old and 7.96 ± 9.79 days. The prevalence of risk of malnutrition was 52.86% (CI 95%: 40.55% - 64.91%); 40.91% for women and 58.33% for men (p = 0.175). 18.57% of the patients did not consume any food at lunch. 40.00% of the participants manifested having had an intake lower than normal, during the previous week. The variables associated to risk of malnutrition, adjusted by age and sex, were: food intake at baseline, readmission, and length of hospital stay during follow up.

Conclusion: evidence about the importance of early diagnosis and of proper nutritional management of hospitalary malnutrition support the need to implement effective nutritional interventions.