Calf Circumference Is a Good Predictor of Longer Hospital Stay and Nutritional Risk in Emergency Patients: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the validity of calf circumference (CC) in identifying malnourished patients and patients at nutritional risk and determine the association between CC and clinical outcomes of hospitalized patients.Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted involving patients admitted to the emergency department of a tertiary hospital in the first 48 hours of admission. Nutritional risk was determined using Nutritional Risk Screening, malnutrition was diagnosed using subjective global assessment, and CC was manually measured. Brazilian cutoff points for CC were used to identify low muscle mass. The outcomes of interest were length of emergency care and hospital stay, occurrence of infection, and death, besides nutritional risk and malnutrition.Results: In total, 528 patients (52.76 ± 16.18 years; 54.6% females) were followed up for 9.0 (3.0-19.0) days; 39.6% of them had reduced CC values. The accuracy of CC in identifying patients at nutritional risk and malnourished patients was 67.7% and 54.1%, respectively. The cutoff value of 36.5 cm was highly accurate in identifying nutritional risk [AUC-ROC curve = 0.764 (95% CI: 0.704-0.825) for men, and AUC-ROC curve = 0.716 (95% CI: 0.659-0.774) for women]. Patients with low CC had a 1.59-fold (95% CI: 1.07-2.36) greater likelihood of a long hospital stay than patients with normal CC.Conclusions: Low CC values have satisfactory validity in identifying nutritional risk and are associated with long hospital stay.

Complementarity of modified NUTRIC score with or without C-reactive protein and subjective global assessment in predicting mortality in critically ill patients. / Complementariedade do escore NUTRIC modificado com ou sem proteína C-reativa e avaliação subjetiva global na predição de mortalidade em pacientes críticos.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the concordance between the modified NUTRIC and NUTRIC with C-reactive protein instruments in identifying nutritional risk patients and predicting mortality in critically ill patients. The risk of death in patient groups was also investigated according to nutritional risk and malnutrition detected by subjective global assessment. METHODS: A cohort study of patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Nutritional risk was assessed by modified NUTRIC and a version of NUTRIC with C-reactive protein. Subjective global assessment was applied to diagnose malnutrition. Kappa statistics were calculated, and an ROC curve was constructed considering modified NUTRIC as a reference. The predictive validity was assessed considering mortality in 28 days (whether in the intensive care unit or after discharge) as the outcome. RESULTS: A total of 130 patients were studied (63.05 ± 16.46 years, 53.8% males). According to NUTRIC with C-reactive protein, 34.4% were classified as having a high score, while 28.5% of patients had this classification with modified NUTRIC. According to SGA 48.1% of patients were malnourished. There was excellent agreement between modified NUTRIC and NUTRIC with C-reactive protein (Kappa = 0.88, p < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve was equal to 0.942 (0.881 - 1.000) for NUTRIC with C-reactive protein. The risk of death within 28 days was increased in patients with high modified NUTRIC (HR = 1.827; 95%CI 1.029 - 3.244; p = 0.040) and NUTRIC with C-reactive protein (HR = 2.685; 95%CI 1.423 - 5.064; p = 0.002) scores. A high risk of death was observed in patients with high nutritional risk and malnutrition, independent of the version of the NUTRIC score applied. CONCLUSION: An excellent agreement between modified NUTRIC and NUTRIC with C-reactive protein was observed. In addition, combining NUTRIC and subjective global assessment may increase the accuracy of predicting mortality in critically ill patients.

OBJETIVO: Avaliar a concordância entre o escore NUTRIC modificado e o escore NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa na identificação de pacientes em risco nutricional e na predição da mortalidade entre pacientes críticos. Avaliou-se também o risco de óbito com agrupamento dos pacientes segundo o risco nutricional e a desnutrição detectada pela avaliação subjetiva global. MÉTODOS: Estudo de coorte em pacientes admitidos em uma unidade de terapia intensiva. O risco nutricional foi avaliado por meio do escore NUTRIC modificado e uma versão do escore NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa. Aplicou-se avaliação subjetiva global para diagnóstico de desnutrição. Calculou-se a estatística de Kappa e construiu-se uma curva ROC considerando o NUTRIC modificado como referência. A validade preditiva foi avaliada considerando a mortalidade em 28 dias (na unidade de terapia intensiva e após a alta) como desfecho. RESULTADOS: Estudaram-se 130 pacientes (63,05 ± 16,46 anos, 53,8% do sexo masculino). Segundo o NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa, 34,4% foram classificados como escore alto, enquanto 28,5% dos pacientes tiveram esta classificação com utilização do NUTRIC modificado. Segundo a avaliação subjetiva global, 48,1% dos pacientes estavam desnutridos. Observou-se concordância excelente entre o NUTRIC modificado e o NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa (Kappa = 0,88; p < 0,001). A área sob a curva ROC foi igual a 0,942 (0,881 - 1,000) para o NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa. O risco de óbito em 28 dias estava aumentado nos pacientes com escores elevados pelo NUTRIC modificado (HR = 1,827; IC95% 1,029 - 3,244; p = 0,040) e pelo NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa (HR = 2,685; IC95% 1,423 - 5,064; p = 0,002). Observou-se elevado risco de óbito nos pacientes com alto risco nutricional e desnutrição, independentemente da versão do NUTRIC aplicada. CONCLUSÃO: A concordância entre o escore NUTRIC modificado e o NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa foi excelente. Além disto, a combinação da avaliação com um escore NUTRIC mais avaliação subjetiva global pode aumentar a precisão para predição de mortalidade em pacientes críticos.

Height Prediction From Ulna Length of Critically Ill Patients.

BACKGROUND: Ulna length (UL) has been used in mathematical formulas to predict the body height of healthy and sick individuals. However, the evaluation of its use with patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU) is scarce. The objective of this study was to develop a mathematical equation to estimate critically ill patients' height using the UL measure and to evaluate its agreement with measured standing height. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was performed at the ICU of a tertiary hospital in Brazil. A total of 100 patients aged ≥18 years who had their body height measured before ICU admission were enrolled. The equation was developed through multiple linear regression, and its agreement was assessed through paired Student's t test and Bland-Altman plot. RESULTS: The following formula was obtained: height in cm = 153.492 - (7.97 × sex [sex: male = 1, female = 2]) + (0.974 × UL [in cm]). The difference between means of measured height (MH) and height estimated from UL was not significant (166.26 ± 8.75 cm and 166.30 ± 5.29 cm, respectively, P = .96), and a significant correlation (r = 0.624, P < .001) was detected. In the Bland-Altman analysis, UL was in agreement with MH; however, there was a significant bias (P < .001) suggesting that it may be disproportional and dependent on the average's height value. CONCLUSION: The mathematical equation for height estimation using UL developed in this study matched the MH of critically ill patients. However, we suggest more studies for its validation.

Complementariedade do escore NUTRIC modificado com ou sem proteína C-reativa e avaliação subjetiva global na predição de mortalidade em pacientes críticos / Complementarity of modified NUTRIC score with or without C-reactive protein and subjective global assessment in predicting mortality in critically ill patients

RESUMO Objetivo: Avaliar a concordância entre o escore NUTRIC modificado e o escore NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa na identificação de pacientes em risco nutricional e na predição da mortalidade entre pacientes críticos. Avaliou-se também o risco de óbito com agrupamento dos pacientes segundo o risco nutricional e a desnutrição detectada pela avaliação subjetiva global. Métodos: Estudo de coorte em pacientes admitidos em uma unidade de terapia intensiva. O risco nutricional foi avaliado por meio do escore NUTRIC modificado e uma versão do escore NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa. Aplicou-se avaliação subjetiva global para diagnóstico de desnutrição. Calculou-se a estatística de Kappa e construiu-se uma curva ROC considerando o NUTRIC modificado como referência. A validade preditiva foi avaliada considerando a mortalidade em 28 dias (na unidade de terapia intensiva e após a alta) como desfecho. Resultados: Estudaram-se 130 pacientes (63,05 ± 16,46 anos, 53,8% do sexo masculino). Segundo o NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa, 34,4% foram classificados como escore alto, enquanto 28,5% dos pacientes tiveram esta classificação com utilização do NUTRIC modificado. Segundo a avaliação subjetiva global, 48,1% dos pacientes estavam desnutridos. Observou-se concordância excelente entre o NUTRIC modificado e o NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa (Kappa = 0,88; p < 0,001). A área sob a curva ROC foi igual a 0,942 (0,881 - 1,000) para o NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa. O risco de óbito em 28 dias estava aumentado nos pacientes com escores elevados pelo NUTRIC modificado (HR = 1,827; IC95% 1,029 - 3,244; p = 0,040) e pelo NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa (HR = 2,685; IC95% 1,423 - 5,064; p = 0,002). Observou-se elevado risco de óbito nos pacientes com alto risco nutricional e desnutrição, independentemente da versão do NUTRIC aplicada. Conclusão: A concordância entre o escore NUTRIC modificado e o NUTRIC com proteína C-reativa foi excelente. Além disto, a combinação da avaliação com um escore NUTRIC mais avaliação subjetiva global pode aumentar a precisão para predição de mortalidade em pacientes críticos.

ABSTRACT Objective: To evaluate the concordance between the modified NUTRIC and NUTRIC with C-reactive protein instruments in identifying nutritional risk patients and predicting mortality in critically ill patients. The risk of death in patient groups was also investigated according to nutritional risk and malnutrition detected by subjective global assessment. Methods: A cohort study of patients admitted to an intensive care unit. Nutritional risk was assessed by modified NUTRIC and a version of NUTRIC with C-reactive protein. Subjective global assessment was applied to diagnose malnutrition. Kappa statistics were calculated, and an ROC curve was constructed considering modified NUTRIC as a reference. The predictive validity was assessed considering mortality in 28 days (whether in the intensive care unit or after discharge) as the outcome. Results: A total of 130 patients were studied (63.05 ± 16.46 years, 53.8% males). According to NUTRIC with C-reactive protein, 34.4% were classified as having a high score, while 28.5% of patients had this classification with modified NUTRIC. According to SGA 48.1% of patients were malnourished. There was excellent agreement between modified NUTRIC and NUTRIC with C-reactive protein (Kappa = 0.88, p < 0.001). The area under the ROC curve was equal to 0.942 (0.881 - 1.000) for NUTRIC with C-reactive protein. The risk of death within 28 days was increased in patients with high modified NUTRIC (HR = 1.827; 95%CI 1.029 - 3.244; p = 0.040) and NUTRIC with C-reactive protein (HR = 2.685; 95%CI 1.423 - 5.064; p = 0.002) scores. A high risk of death was observed in patients with high nutritional risk and malnutrition, independent of the version of the NUTRIC score applied. Conclusion: An excellent agreement between modified NUTRIC and NUTRIC with C-reactive protein was observed. In addition, combining NUTRIC and subjective global assessment may increase the accuracy of predicting mortality in critically ill patients.