Nutritional status and clinical characteristics associated with mortality in patients COVID-19 with enteral nutritional therapy.

Abstract

Introduction: During the pandemic, Peru had the highest
mortality rate from COVID-19, the highest in the world, compared to European and/or underdeveloped countries, the highest number of deaths occurred in older adults and adults of the gender male.
Objective: To evaluate the association between nutritional
status and clinical characteristics with mortality in patients
with COVID-19 with enteral nutritional therapy.
Material and methods: Analytical, retrospective,  longitudinal case-control research. The final study sample consisted of 61 adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19, hospitalized during the period July 2020 to December 2021; in the areas of Intensive Care Units (ICU) and Intermediate Care Unit of the Uldarico Rocca Fernandez Hospital in Lima-Peru. The information was obtained through the electronic record of medical records that were filled out by health professionals. To assess the association and/or risk, the chi-square test, Odds ratio (OR) and logistic regression were used.

Results: 65.6% were male, 40% were older adults, 25%
presented obesity, 72.1% were hospitalized in intensive care
units, 35.7% required invasive mechanical ventilation and
oxygen mask with reservoir, 80. 3% died. The female sex was significantly associated with a lower probability of mortality in the adjusted model (OR = 0.03, 95%CI: 0.00 – 0.51, p<0.05). Being older showed a significant association with a higher risk of mortality in the adjusted model (OR = 32.06, 95%CI: 2.17 – 472.34, p<0.05).
Conclusion: A higher risk of mortality was found in elderly
male patients with nutritional risk and prolonged hospital stay with enteral nutritional therapy.