Prevalence of hypoalbuminemia and nutritional issues in hospitalized elders

Authors

  • Felipe Brock Universidade Regional Integrada do Alto Uruguai e das Missões
  • Luiz Antonio Bettinelli Universidade de Passo Fundo
  • Taise Dobner Universidade de Passo Fundo
  • Júlio César Stobbe Hospital São Vicente de Paulo
  • Gabriela Pomatti Universidade de Passo Fundo
  • Cristina Trevizan Telles Universidade de Passo Fundo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.0260.2736

Abstract

Objective: to estimate the prevalence of hypoalbuminemia in hospitalized elders, related to socio-demographic variables, nutritional status and length of stay. Methods: crosscutting study with 200 patients hospitalized in a large hospital in the South of Brazil during three months. Evaluations, lab tests and interviews through questionnaires were performed. Results: the average albuminemia was 2,9 ± 0,5g/dL. Hypoalbuminemia was diagnosed in 173 subjects (87%) and was absent in 27 (13%) that have normal albuminemia (p=0,000). After six days of hospitalization, the prevalence of low levels grew significantly to 90% (p=0,002), average 2,7 ± 0,5g/dL. Using the Mini Nutritional Assessment, it was observed that 41 patients were malnourished and from those, 40 had hypoalbuminemia. Conclusion: the prevalence of hypoalbuminemia proved to be high, in approx. nine in ten elders, and the nutritional status and the length of stay proved to be related to the decrease of serum albumin levels. Thus, it is suggested that monitoring albumin levels should be done to evaluate the risk that the patient has to develop malnutrition and other complications during hospital stays.

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Published

2016-01-01

Issue

Vol. 24 (2016)

Section

Original Articles

License

RLAE’s authorship concept is based on the substantial contribution by each of the individuals listed as authors, mainly in terms of conceiving and planning the research project, collecting or analyzing and interpreting data, writing and critical review. Indication of authors’ names under the article title is limited to six. If more, authors are listed on the online submission form under Acknowledgements. The possibility of including more than six authors will only be examined on multicenter studies, considering the explanations presented by the authors.
Including names of authors whose contribution does not fit into the above criteria cannot be justified. Those names can be included in the Acknowledgements section.
 Authors are fully responsible for the concepts disseminated in their manuscripts, which do not necessarily reflect the editors’ and editorial board’s opinion.

 

How to Cite

Prevalence of hypoalbuminemia and nutritional issues in hospitalized elders . (2016). Revista Latino-Americana De Enfermagem, 24, e2736-. https://doi.org/10.1590/1518-8345.0260.2736