The Nutritional risk of patients with COVID-19 admitted to a reference intensive care unit in Joinville/SC

Abstract

Objective: To assess nutritional risk in critically ill patients with COVID-19 using the mNUTRIC score nutritional screening tool. Methods: This is a retrospective study, with a total sample of 60 patients admitted to the respiratory ICU of a public hospital in Joinville, Santa Catarina, including patients of both sexes, aged ≥18 years, diagnosed through the RT test. - Positive PCR, under invasive mechanical ventilation and nutritional support via an exclusive enteral tube. Clinical characteristics and anthropometric information were obtained from electronic medical records and nutrition records. Results: Samples of 60 critically ill COVID-19 patients were included in the study, with a mean age of 62.5 ± 24.5 years. Based on the mNUTRIC score at ICU admission, a high nutritional risk (≥5 points) was observed in 58% of patients, while a low nutritional risk (<5 points). ICU mortality was higher in the high nutritional risk group than in the low nutritional risk group. Conclusion: The mNUTRIC score proved to be a useful and practical tool with regard to the screening of patients with COVID-19 undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit, and may be relevant in predicting the prognosis for critically ill patients. It was also observed that patients with ARDS, overweight and obesity are associated with lower mortality, which can be considered a protective factor, making the obesity paradox evident.