Observational study: the risk of malnutrition in post-ICU COVID-19 patients in Dubai, UAE

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Due to the impact of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on the humoral immune system, gastrointestinal, and metabolic activities, malnutrition in COVID-19 is inevitable. This study aimed to assess the prevalence, identify COVID-19 patients at risk of malnutrition, and determine the nutritional risk profile of COVID-19 patients and the need for ongoing nutritional support after ICU stay. Method(s) A monocentric observational study based on data collected from 200 COVID-19 patients at hospital discharge in Dubai, UAE. Male and female residents and citizens (>= 18 years) who tested positive for COVID-19 upon ICU admission and who were ready for discharge were included. The 'MUST' malnutrition screening was performed to identify patients at high risk of malnutrition who required ONS and other treatments. Result(s) The present study included two hundred patients where male participants constituted 68% compared to females (32%). The included population was neither acutely ill nor had nutritional intake for more than 5 days. 45% of COVID-19 patients experienced a reduced dietary intake at hospital, and 58% lost weight during ICU/hospital stays. About 25% received enteral nutrition in the ICU, whereas (2%) required ongoing homecare nutritional support after hospital discharge. Almost 80% were advised to follow up with a dietitian and 96% were provided additional dietary counseling. Regarding the COVID-19 patients' post-ICU stay nutritional support, the adjusted odds ratio of follow-up consultation with dietitian significantly decreased by 66% among patients aged from 18 to 49 years, compared to older patients (ORa = 0.34, 95% CI 0.12-0.86, p = 0.032). Conclusion(s) Close assessment, evaluation, and monitoring of malnutrition are critical in severely ill COVID-19 patients post-ICU. ONS is highly recommended for high-risk patients to provide support against muscle loss during ICU stay and improve the recovery of the patients at discharge.