Journal Article

THE ASSOCIATION BETWEEN MALNUTRITION SCREENING TOOL SCORES AND 30-DAY HOSPITAL ADMISSIONS IN THE OUTPATIENT ONCOLOGY SETTING

Timmerman, Megan, Jackson, Mariah, Ponce, Jana, Hanson, Corri, Curtis, Julia, Dieckmann, Samantha

2024

Overview

Malnutrition is prevalent among cancer patients and can lead to poor patient outcomes, like higher hospital admission rates. The Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST), a validated tool in the outpatient oncology setting, has been associated with improved patient outcomes when used in conjunction with early nutrition interventions. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between MST scores and 30-day hospital admissions. A retrospective chart review of oncology patients at a midwestern cancer center was conducted between February-May 2023. The primary outcome was 30-day hospital admissions from the time of MST evaluation at the initial outpatient oncology visit. Patients were grouped based on the MST risk score (<3 or ≥3), where those with a score ≥3 were deemed at high malnutrition risk. Secondary analyses examined differences in patient characteristics between groups. Fisher's exact test and independent t-tests were used. Findings and Interpretation: Of 33 patients, the majority were White (76%) and male (61%), with a mean age of 60.4 ± 12.9 years, and BMI of 26.5 ± 6.7 kg/m2. Most patients had a diagnosis of gastrointestinal cancer (55%), stage IV (36.4%), with 58% receiving chemotherapy treatment. There was a high overall 30-day admission rate of 64% and high malnutrition risk prevalence of 37%. There was no statistically significant association between MST scores and 30-day hospital admissions, where in the MST <3 group, 58% of patients had a 30-day hospital admission, compared to 78% in the MST >3 group (p=0.43). Race was significantly different between MST groups, where 80% of those identifying as races other than White or Black were at high risk of malnutrition (p=0.03). Higher MST scores were not statistically associated with higher 30-day hospital admission rates, although the prevalence of admission among those with an MST >3 was 20% higher than those at low-malnutrition risk. Small sample size may limit these findings, warranting further evaluation in larger cohorts. Additionally, future research should investigate the impact of MST scores on 30-day hospital admissions across the cancer continuum, including during active treatment when the risk of developing malnutrition is highest. Screening for malnutrition risk in the outpatient setting may be important for early intervention to prevent poor outcomes, especially among at-risk groups.

• Publisher: Oncology Nursing Society
• Subject: Cancer / Chemotherapy / Clinical outcomes / Malnutrition / Oncology / Patient admissions