Características de los pacientes internados con alimentación enteral de un servicio de clínica médica

BACKGROUND: When a patient is unable to swallow enough calores by mouth and has his digestive tube working normally, the Enteral Nutrition (EN) is prescribed. Our aims was identify the patient who requires EN by sounding at Clinical Medical admission. METHODS: From 11/2001 to 11/ 2002; 331 patients were attended in cornrnon rooms. 50 of them (15%) required EN. Retrospective descriptive study was made, evaluatlng: dernographic data, diagnoses, comorbilities, self-validity, staying, nosocornial complications, studies, medicaments, inter-consulting and mortality as well. RESULTS: In 50 patients under EN, 56 % were men, with an age rate of 65 years Standar Error (SE) 2.37 and daily life activity rnecllurn rate was 2 (SE) 0.35. Diagnoses at admission: Strocke 22%, acute pneurnonia of community 22%, pneurnonia by bronchoaspiration 10%, acute confusional syndrorne 10%, etc.. Comorbilities: 54% presented 3 or more concurrent diseases, Hypertension 60 %. Dernentia 28%, type 2 Diabetes and strocke 26%, iskemic cardiopathy 14%. etc. Adrnission time rate: 6 days (SE) 2.02, staying at intensive care unit 40%. Nosocomial compllcations carne up in 34%, 76% ACS, 11.7% urinary tract infection, pneumnonia and enclovascular infection 1 each. 4 labs were required in rate (SE) 1. 14, and 3 cornplernentary studies per patient (SE) of 0.24. In arnbulatory treatment they used 3 drugs as an average (SE) 0.37. The highest prescription day approached 7 as average (SE) of 0.61. At discharge they left with an average of 4 (SE) 0.39. In every case kinesiotherapy and phonoaudiology were used as well. Ther was lnterconsulting regardirig lnfectology in 24%, general surgery 16%. Mortality 22%. CONCLUSION: EN is usual in clinical admission. It regards an elderly patient with lacking self-validity, who oven 50% of cases presents more than three cornorbilities (mnostly hypertension). Facts of admission usually registered: neurological pathologies and infectioris. Adrnission length was the sarne as general settlers. Alrnost half of them needed intensive care assistance. Nosocomial cornpllcations are usually found. They are patients who require many drugs at home, while admitted and discharge time as well. lii every one kinesiotherapyand phonoaudiology were applied. Mortality raised high. Unable chance to use commercial diets was not a trouble to feed them. Introduccion: Cuando un paciente no puede ingerir suficientes calorías por boca y tiene su tubo digestivo funcionant