Clinical Nutrition in Portuguese Gastroenterology Departments: A Multicentric Study

• Published in: International journal of environmental research and public health 2022-12, Vol.19 (23), p.16333
• Main Authors: Vara-Luiz, Francisco, Glória, Luísa, Mocanu, Irina, Curado, António, Medeiros, Isabel, Duarte, Maria Antónia, Banhudo, António, Ferreira, Susana, Vaz, Ana Margarida, Bastos, Isabel, Fonseca, Jorge
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catheters; Clinical medicine; Clinical nutrition; Counseling; Cross-Sectional Studies; Departments; Dietitians; Disease; Endoscopy; Gastroenterology; Hospitals; Humans; Malnutrition; Morbidity; Nutrition Assessment; Nutrition Disorders; Nutrition education; Nutrition therapy; Nutritional Support - methods; Ostomy; Outpatient care facilities; Parenteral nutrition; Patients; Physicians; Public health; Questionnaires; Undernutrition
• ISSN: 1660-4601; 1661-7827; 1660-4601
• DOI: 10.3390/ijerph192316333

Hospital nutrition is a major public health problem, as up to 50% of hospitalized patients suffer from undernutrition. Adequate nutritional support (NS) decreases morbidity/mortality, shortens the length of stay, and reduces costs. We aimed to evaluate the engagement of Portuguese gastroenterology departments in NS, especially in artificial nutrition (AN). Cross-sectional multicentric study, using an online survey sent to 31 Portuguese gastroenterology departments. Nine centers were involved, and all departments were engaged in NS activities. The most performed nutrition technique was endoscopic gastrostomy and not all departments had the expertise to perform all nutrition procedures, namely, endoscopic jejunostomy. Two departments had an AN outpatient clinic. Five centers were involved in hospital nutrition committees. Only four performed systematic nutritional evaluation of every patient on admission. Two departments developed research in the nutrition field. An increase staff and nutrition training were pointed out as suggestions to improve NS. This study outlines a broad picture of NS/AN in Portuguese gastroenterology departments. Medical nutritional training and increasing nutrition teams' staff may contribute to developing NS/AN. Multidisciplinary management of nutrition-related disorders is of utmost importance, and gastroenterologists are expected to be at the core of hospital nutrition.