title: The utility of an admission assessment to predict in-hospital nutrient intake.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine if pre-complication nutrient intake can be predicted based on an admission assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey (cross-sectional study).
  
  
  METHODS
  Geriatric Rehabilitation Unit (GRU) of a Veterans Administration hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three-hundred-twelve randomly selected admissions to the GRU.
  
  
  METHODS
  At admission, each patient completed a comprehensive medical, neuropsychological, functional, and nutritional assessment. While remaining hospitalized, each subject was monitored on a daily basis for the development of complications. Complete calorie counts were obtained at least every other day, and the average pre-complication daily volitional nutrient intake was expressed as a percent of predicted requirements as determined using the Harris-Benedict equation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on a stepwise linear regression analysis, the strongest predictor of pre-complication volitional intake was the first day calorie count, followed by waist circumference, the percent of weight lost in the 6 months prior to admission, supra-iliac skinfold thickness, and admission Katz ADL score. The model R2 = 0.66.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is possible to predict pre-complication nutrient intake with a fair degree of accuracy based on an admission assessment, which includes a 1-day calorie count.
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (182/LR), John L. McClellan Memorial Veterans Hospital, Little Rock, AR 72205.
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Sullivan
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010343:Patient Admission; D011897:Random Allocation; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012047:Rehabilitation Centers