Abstract Objective: the purpose was to evaluate the nutritional status in hospitalized children according to their socio-demographic variables, underlying pathology and based on hospital length of stay. Methods: seven-hundred and sixty-three hospitalized patients of the Civil Hospital of Guadalajara Dr. Juan I. Menchaca were included in a cross-sectional study. The following anthropometric indices were taken: weight/length, weight/height, weight/age, length/age, height/age, head circumference/age and BMI/age. Data of socio-demographic variables and underlying pathology were also obtained. Student's t-test, Chi-squared test, ANOVA with post-hoc tests and logistic regression were used to identify the likelihood of risk of malnutrition. Results: subjects were divided according to their hospital length of stay in lower than seven days and seven days or more. At the time of admission, children with stay of seven days or more showed a greater deficit in the height/age index (OR = 1.77 [95% CI 1.16-2.7], p = 0.007), head circumference (OR = 2.68 [95% CI 1.5-4.7], p ≤ 0.001) and BMI (OR = 2.9 [95% CI 1.9-4.4], p ≤ 0.001). Males had higher risk of moderate/severe malnutrition (OR = 1.87 [95% CI 1.22-2.85], p = 0.003) and higher deficit in head circumference (OR = 1.89 [95% CI 1.06-3.37], p = 0.029). Infants with gastrointestinal and respiratory problems had higher frequency of malnutrition at the time of admission than did those with other pathologies (p < 0.001). Conclusion: the pathological disease at time of admission and longer hospital length of stay increased the likelihood of malnutrition in male infants and preschool-aged children. There were demographic and educational risk factors in the home environment that could influence acute and chronic malnutrition.
Resumen Objetivo: el propósito fue evaluar el estado nutricio en niños hospitalizados de acuerdo a variables sociodemográficas, patología de ingreso y días de estancia hospitalaria. Métodos: en estudio transversal analítico se incluyeron 763 pacientes hospitalizados en el Hospital Civil de Guadalajara Dr. Juan I. Menchaca. Se estimaron los índices: peso/edad, longitud/edad, estatura/edad, peso/talla, IMC y circunferencia cefálica/edad. Se obtuvieron variables sociodemográficas y el diagnóstico de ingreso. Se utilizaron las pruebas t de Student, Chi-cuadrado, ANOVA y post-hoc y regresión logística para identificar la probabilidad de riesgo de mala nutrición. Resultados: los participantes se dividieron de acuerdo a la duración de la estancia hospitalaria en menor de siete días e igual o mayor a siete días. Al ingreso, los niños con estancia de siete días o mayor mostraron déficit de los índices talla/edad (RM = 1,77 [IC 95% 1,16-2,7], p = 0,007), circunferencia cefálica (RM = 2,68 [IC 95% 1,5-4,7], p ≤ 0,001) e IMC (RM = 2,9 [IC 95% 1,9-4,4], p ≤ 0,001). Los varones mostraron mayor riesgo de desnutrición moderada o grave (RM = 1,87 [IC 95% 1,22-2,85], p = 0,003) y déficit en circunferencia cefálica (RM = 1,89 [IC 95% 1,06-3,37], p = 0,029). Los lactantes con problemas gastrointestinales y respiratorios tuvieron mayor frecuencia de desnutrición al ingreso hospitalario que aquellos con otras patologías (p < 0,001). Conclusión: la patología al momento del ingreso hospitalario y la estancia más prolongada aumentaron la probabilidad de desnutrición en lactantes varones y en preescolares. Hay factores de riesgo demográfico y educacional en la familia que podrían influir en la frecuencia de desnutrición aguda y/o crónica.