Malnourished Elders With Heart or Lung Condition Taking Oral Nutrition Supplements Have Lower Death Rates

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Researchers found that a high-protein oral nutrition supplement decreases death rate among malnourished elderly individuals who have lung and heart conditions.

A new study published in the journal "Clinical Nutrition" reveals how a specialized oral nutrition supplement is linked to lowered death rates among older malnourished patients who have lung or heart disease,Eurekalert reports. The study is a clinical trial called NOURISH (Nutrition effect On Unplanned ReadmIssions and Survival in Hospitalized patients), one of the largest nutrition clinical studies of its kind, and involves a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

News Medical reports that participants in the study were 652 malnourished adults with ages 65 and older, who had heart or lung disease and were admitted to the hospital. For the study, researchers analyzed how a high-protein specialized nutrition supplement would affect their health. The other participants were given HMB (a muscle-preserving ingredient), and Vitamin D to a placebo supplement. They also checked for readmissions or death within a three-month time frame following their release from the hospital.

Results showed that those who were given the high-protein specialized nutrition supplement had a 50% less death rate, which began at one month to three months after the patients were released from the hospital. Researchers also found that there were significant health improvements (body weight, nutritional status, vitamin D levels) in those participants one month to three months after they left the hospital.

"We know proper nutrition is foundational for good health, but the medical community and patients don't always turn to it when recovering from a health issue like pneumonia," study author and Abbott medical director Dr. Refaat Hegazi said. "While the prevalence of malnutrition is high, research shows that less than two percent of malnourished patients in the hospital receive an oral nutrition supplement. Nutrition must be one of our critical tools to help adults live longer, better lives."

In the United States alone, about 35% to 50% of elderly residents of long-term care facilities are malnourished and about 65% of elderly patients in hospitals may be malnourished, as per the National Resource Center on Nutrition, Physical Activity & Aging at Florida International University. As elderly malnourishment continues to be a major health issue across the nation, health authorities are tasked to come up with ways to address this.

"Malnutrition in older adults is very common—and it's a condition that is having a rippling effect on our health and health system," Dr. Alfonso Cruz-Jentoft, head of the Geriatrics Department, Hospital Ramón y Cajal in Spain, commented. "People underestimate how critical strength and muscle health are to recovery from hospitalization and illness. Proper nourishment is a key component and cannot be left out of the conversation."

While malnutrition is commonly associated with being underweight, scientists warn that those who have normal weight or even overweight may be malnourished as they may have low levels of muscle or lean body mass. The loss of muscle, strength, and energy in malnourished individuals may also lead to further health complications.