Ann Clin Nutr Metab.  2023 Apr;15(1):30-37. 10.15747/ACNM.2023.15.1.30.

Effects of nutritional status and support on the survival of COVID-19 patients in a single tertiarycenter intensive care unit in Korea: a case-control study

• Lee NG
• Kim HJ
• Kang JG
• Jeon DH
• Kwak MS
• Nam SH

• KMID: 2541592
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15747/ACNM.2023.15.1.30

Abstract

Purpose
It is important to understand the nutritional status of critically ill COVID-19 patients and to provide adequate associated support. We attempted to determine how nutritional status and the amount of nutritional support provided to critically ill patients affect their survival.
Methods
We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients admitted to the intensive care unit of Dong-A University Hospital between January and December 2021. We divided the patients into survivors and those who died during COVID-19 treatment and compared and analyzed their clinical parameters, nutrition-related indicators, nutritional status, and nutritional support.
Results
Of 70 patients reviewed, 57 survived. Mortality was higher in the older group (P=0.006). The patients who underwent ventilator, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or continuous renal replacement therapy showed higher mortality. Nutritional status at the time of admission and the nutritional requirements did not differ among patient groups. However, the actual amounts of calories (P<0.001) and protein (P=0.019) supplied were lower in the mortality group. Serum C-reactive protein level was higher (P=0.002) and serum albumin level was lower in those who did not survive (P<0.001) compared with surviving patients at discharge.
Conclusion
We did not determine whether the initial nutritional status of patients with COVID-19 affected their survival due to various factors associated with the severity of the disease. However, given the similarities between disease severity and nutritional status at the time of admission, our results indicate that adequate nutritional support can contribute to survival in critically ill COVID-19 patients with pneumonia.

Keyword

COVID-19; Malnutrition; Nutritional status; Nutritional support; Pneumonia