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Clinical Trial Summary

Denutrition is defined as a measurable decrease in functions and/or as change in the body composition, associated with a worsening of the prognosis of the underlying medico-surgical pathology. It is induced by a deficiency in energy, proteins or any other micro or macronutrient and is the result of malnutrition, itself caused by a poor diet or a metabolic disorder.

According to the National Nutrition and Health Plan for Belgium, denutrition is an independent risk factor for the increase of complications, morbidity and mortality rates, average length of hospitalisation and global medical care cost. It is necessary to invest in the prevention of denutrition as the costs of preventive measures are lower than the cost of treating a denutrished patient.

The Belgian financing system of hospitalisation days is based on the structure of the treated pathologies, the age of the patient and the geriatric features of the patient. It encourages all hospitals to lower the length of hospitalisation to the national average for all these criteria. As a consequence, there is a mounting tendency to shorten the average length of stay within the hospital.

The so-called 'Sp' hospital departments occupy a specific place within the organisation of Health Services in Belgium. They are specialized in the treatment and rehabilitation of patients with cardiopulmonary, neurological, locomotor, psycho-geriatric and chronic diseases. These services act as an extension of acute services (continuity of acute hospitalisation) but also as a first entry point for the medical care of patients with various specific diseases (multiple sclerosis, psycho-geriatric disorders, chronic pulmonary disorders...).

The financing of the Sp departments is, as opposed to the financing of other departments, not linked to the patient length of stay. However, an increase in hospitalization duration decreases the rate of admissions and the possibility to accept patients coming from acute hospital units.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the influence of denutrition of patients hospitalized in an Sp department on the length of revalidation stay, the associated costs and the patient's functional autonomy.


Clinical Trial Description

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Study Design


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT02913846
Study type Observational
Source Brugmann University Hospital
Contact
Status Completed
Phase N/A
Start date March 18, 2016
Completion date September 12, 2017

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Terminated NCT00560729 - Effectiveness and Cost of a Quantitative and Qualitative Nutritional Supplementation in Elderly Patients Phase 3
Recruiting NCT03553147 - Evaluation of the SARC-F Score as a Screening Tool for Undernutrition in a Geriatric Population N/A
Recruiting NCT01742871 - Nutritional Status of Patients Victims of Haemorragic Accidents With Antivitamins K N/A