Abstract

ASSESSING THE PREVALENCE OF MALNUTRITION IN ICU PATIENTS USING NUTRITIONAL SCREENING TOOL - NUTRIC SCORE

Bhavadharani C., Lally Hanna Luke*

ABSTRACT

Malnutrition is a significant yet frequently under recognized problem in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs). It contributes to increased morbidity, prolonged hospitalization, and higher mortality rates. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and progression of malnutrition among ICU patients using a multidimensional assessment approach. The evaluation incorporated the NUTRIC (Nutrition Risk in Critically Ill) score along with anthropometric parameters such as height, weight, and body mass index (BMI), and clinical severity indices including APACHE II and SOFA scores. The study was conducted in the intensive care unit (ICU) of a tertiary care hospital and included 33 adult patients admitted to the unit. The patients were monitored over a period of seven days. Nutritional and clinical data were recorded daily, and changes in weight, body mass index (BMI), NUTRIC score, APACHE II score, and SOFA score were analyzed. The findings demonstrated a noticeable reduction in both weight and BMI among the patients during the observation period. However, despite these anthropometric declines, many patients maintained low or improved NUTRIC scores, indicating the potential benefits of continuous nutritional monitoring and timely nutritional interventions. These results highlight the limitations of relying solely on traditional anthropometric indicators for nutritional assessment in critically ill patients and emphasize the importance of incorporating validated clinical scoring systems. The study underscores the value of adopting a structured and multidimensional approach to nutritional assessment in ICU settings. Integrating nutritional risk screening with clinical severity scoring systems can facilitate early identification of malnutrition risk and enable healthcare providers to implement targeted and proactive nutritional therapy, ultimately improving patient outcomes and reducing complications associated with critical illness.

Keywords: Malnutrition, NUTRIC score, APACHE II score, SOFA score, Intensive Care Unit, Nutritional Screening Tool.