PP051 - HANDGRIP STRENGTH IS ASSOCIATED WITH BARRIERS TO ORAL NUTRITION IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT SURVIVORS
PP051
HANDGRIP STRENGTH IS ASSOCIATED WITH BARRIERS TO ORAL NUTRITION IN INTENSIVE CARE UNIT SURVIVORS
M. R. Abade1,2,3,*, S. Serdoura4,5,6, F. Carrilho7, I. Gomes4, G. Cabral-Campello8, T. Amaral3,9
1Nutrition Service, Local Health Unit of Lezíria, E.P.E, 2Life Quality Research Centre (CIEQV) , Polytechnic Institute of Santarém, Santarém, 3Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences , University of Porto, Porto, 4Nutrition Service, Local Health Unit Tamega and Sousa, E.P.E, Guilhufe, Portugal, 5Faculty of Biology, University of Vigo, Vigo, Spain, 6RISE-Health, Centre for Translational Health and Medical Biotechnology Research (TBIO), Polytechnic of Porto, Porto, 7Intensive Care Unit, Local Health Unit of Lezíria, E.P.E, Santarém, 8Intensive Care Unit, Local Health Unit Tamega and Sousa, E.P.E, Guilhufe, 9Associated Laboratory of Energy, Transports and Aerospace (LAETA), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal
Rationale: Intensive Care Unit (ICU) survivors often face persistent oral nutritional issues, but the association of muscle weakness, assessed by handgrip strength (HGS), and the barriers and facilitators to oral nutrition remains unclear. This study aims to evaluate that relationship.
Methods: Cross-sectional study of ICU survivors assessed in the wards of two Portuguese hospitals, 72h post-ICU discharge. The HGS was measured using dynamometry. Barriers and facilitators to oral nutrition were evaluated using the NUTRition of Intensive Care Unit Survivors (NUTRICUS) scales, respectively: BICUS (Functional and Care Limitations; Preferences and Food Quality subscales) and FICUS (Adequacy and Food Satisfaction; Mealtime Support and Environment subscales). Nonparametric tests for group comparisons and multivariable linear regression analyses were performed, adjusting for confounders with p-values <0.20 and≥10% change in the β coefficient.
Results: A total of 245 ICU survivors were included. A longer hospital length of stay (≥ 20 days) was associated with higher BICUS total scores (β = 0.03; CI: 0.01, 0.05) and lower FICUS total scores (β = -0.04; CI: -0.07, -0.01). Surgical ICU admission was associated with higher BICUS (β = 1.88; CI: 0.47, 3.28) and lower FICUS total scores (β = -3.30; CI: -5.21, -1.40), compared to medical reasons for admission. Lower HGS was independently associated with higher scores on the BICUS Functional and Care Limitations subscale (β = -0.09; CI: -0.14, -0.04), but not with the BICUS total scale or any FICUS score.
Conclusion: Lower HGS is independently associated with more functional and care-related barriers to oral nutrition in ICU survivors. These findings support the incorporation of HGS into post-ICU nutritional assessments to identify patients with functional feeding limitations.
Disclosure of Interest: None declared