Article

The objective was to test whether adding a dietician to a discharge
Liaison-Team after discharge of geriatric patients improves nutritional status,
muscle strength and patient relevant outcomes. DESIGN: Twelve-week randomized
controlled trial. SUBJECTS: Geriatric patients (70 + years and at nutritional risk) at discharge. INTERVENTIONS:
Participants were randomly
allocated to receive discharge Liaison-Team vs. discharge Liaison-Team in
cooperation with a dietician.
The dietician performed a total of three home
visits with the aim of developing and implementing an individual nutritional care
plan. The first visit took place at the day of discharge together with the
discharge Liaison-Team while the remaining visits took place approximately three
and eight weeks after discharge and were performed by a dietician alone. MAIN
MEASURES: Nutritional status (weight, and dietary intake), muscle strength (hand
grip strength, chair-stand), functional status (mobility, and activities of daily
living), quality of life, use of social services, re-/hospitalization and
mortality. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients were included (34 in the intervention
group), and 63 (89 %) completed the second data collection after 12 weeks (31 in
the intervention group). Odds ratios for hospitalization and mortality 6 months
after discharge were 0.367 (0.129; 1.042) and 0.323 (0.060; 1.724). Nutritional
status improved and some positive tendencies in favour of the intervention group
were observed for patient relevant outcomes, i.e. activities of daily living, and
quality of life. Almost 100 % of the intervention group received three home visits by a dietician. CONCLUSION: Adding a dietician to the discharge
Liaison-Team after discharge of geriatric patients can improve nutritional status
and may reduce the number of times hospitalized within 6 months. A larger study
is necessary to see a significant effect on other patient relevant outcomes.
CI - (c) The Author(s) 2014.

Langue : ANGLAIS