The Association between Nutritional Status and Length of Hospital Stay among Patients with Hypertension

Michał Czapla, Raúl Juárez-Vela, Katarzyna Łokieć, Marta Wleklik, Piotr Karniej and Jacek Smereka
Additional contact information
Michał Czapla: Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Innovative Technologies, Department of Emergency Medical Service, Wroclaw Medical University, 51-616 Wroclaw, Poland
Raúl Juárez-Vela: Group of Research in Care (GRUPAC), Faculty of Nursing, University of La Rioja, 26006 Logroño, Spain
Katarzyna Łokieć: Department of Propaedeutic of Civilization Diseases, Medical University of Lodz, 90-251 Lodz, Poland
Marta Wleklik: Department of Nursing and Obstetrics, Faculty of Health Sciences, Wroclaw Medical University, 51-618 Wroclaw, Poland
Piotr Karniej: Group of Research in Care (GRUPAC), Faculty of Nursing, University of La Rioja, 26006 Logroño, Spain
Jacek Smereka: Laboratory for Experimental Medicine and Innovative Technologies, Department of Emergency Medical Service, Wroclaw Medical University, 51-616 Wroclaw, Poland

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-13

Abstract: Background: Nutritional status is related to the prognosis and length of hospital stay (LOS) of patients with hypertension (HT). This study aimed to assess how nutritional status and body mass index (BMI) affect LOS for patients with hypertension. Method: We performed a retrospective analysis of 586 medical records of patients who had been admitted to the Institute of Heart Diseases of the University Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland. Results: A total of 586 individuals were included in the analysis. Individuals who were at a nutritional risk represented less than 2% of the study population, but more than 60% were overweight or obese. The mean BMI was 28.4 kg/m 2 (SD: 5.16). LOS averaged 3.53 days (SD = 2.78). In the case of obese individuals, hospitalisation lasted for 3.4 ± 2.43 days, which was significantly longer than for patients of normal weight. For underweight patients, hospitalisation lasted for 5.14 ± 2.27 days, which was also significantly longer than for those in other BMI categories ( p = 0.017). The independent predictors of shorter hospitalisations involved higher LDL concentration (parameter of regression: −0.015) and HDL concentration (parameter of regression: −0.04). Conclusions: The study revealed that with regard to the nutritional status of hypertensive patients, being either underweight or obese was associated with longer LOS. Additional factors that related to prolonged LOS were lower LDL and HDL levels and higher CRP concentrations.

Keywords: hypertension; malnutrition; nutritional status; obesity; BMI; length of hospital stay (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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