Nutritional risk assessment using Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) in COVID-19 patients: An observational study in a tertiary care hospital in Eastern India
Abstract
Aims
To diagnose malnutrition, the nutritional status of each infected patient should be evaluated before starting general treatment. The role of Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) in evaluating nutritional status of COVID-19 patients is still unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of MUST in assessment of nutritional status of COVID-19 patients.
Methods
We retrospectively analyzed the data of hospitalized COVID-19 patients above 18 years of age from July 25th to September 25th, 2020. All COVID-19 patients with a length of hospital stay greater than 24 hours underwent malnutrition screening and nutritional assessment based upon MUST. Demographic data, laboratory parameters and MUST score were retrieved from case files.
Results
Out of 106 COVID-19 patients included in the study, 68 (64%) were male and 38 (36%) were female. Number of deaths due to COVID-19 was 17 (16.03%). A total of 22 (20.75%) patients had MUST score of 2 and above. Analysis between MUST score and age group showed statistically significant result (p=0.012). MUST score according to clinical outcome at the end of hospitalization was also statistically significant (p<0.001).
Conclusion
Our results highlight a possible role of MUST as screening tool for malnutrition in COVID-19 patients.
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