The appearance of malnutrition in hematological inpatients prolongs hospital stay: the need for nutritional surveillance during hospitalization.

Introduction: oncohematological diseases are associated with a high prevalence of malnutrition during hospitalization. Our aim was to analyze the appearance and repercussions of malnutrition in well-nourished hematological inpatients at admission. Method: a prospective one-year study conducted in hematology inpatients. The Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) was used at admission and repeated weekly. Patients with a negative screening at admission who developed malnutrition during hospitalization constituted our study sample. A nutritional evaluation and intervention was performed. We also analyzed the effect of newly diagnosed malnutrition on patients' outcomes in comparison with the outcomes of patients that remained well-nourished during hospitalization. Results: twenty-one percent of hematological inpatients who were well nourished at admission developed malnutrition during hospitalization. Of the patients, 62.4% needed a nutritional intervention (100% oral supplements, 21.4% diet changes, 5.2% parenteral nutrition). After intervention, an increase in real intake was achieved (623 kcal and 27.3 g of protein/day). Weight loss was slowed and visceral protein was stabilized. Length of stay was 8.5 days longer for our sample than for well-nourished patients. Conclusions: newly diagnosed malnutrition appeared in one in five hematological well-nourished inpatients, leading to a longer length of stay. Nutritional intervention improved intake and nutritional status. Nutritional surveillance should be mandatory.