Energy expenditure of acutely ill hospitalised patients.
OBJECTIVE
To measure energy expenditure of acutely ill elderly patients in hospital and following discharge in the community.


METHODS
Sixty-three consecutive hospitalised acutely ill elderly patients were recruited. Eight patients were studied to assess the reliability of the Delta Tract Machine as a measure of energy expenditure; 35 patients had their energy expenditure studied in hospital on two occasions and 20 patients had their energy expenditure measured in hospital and at 6 weeks in the community


RESULTS
Men had higher basal energy expenditure (BMR) values compared to women however the difference was not statistically significant [Men, mean (SD) 1405 (321) Kcal, women 1238 (322) kcal; mean difference (95% CI) 166 kcal (-17 to 531), p = 0.075]. After adjusting for age, gender and body mass index both medication and C-reactive protein (CRP), concentrations showed significant correlation with measured energy expenditure in hospital, (r = -0.36, "p < 0.05"; r = -0.29, "p < 0.05" respectively). However, in a multivariate analysis for all 63 subjects combined CRP explained most of the variance in BMR in hospital. The Harris Benedict equation predicted within +/- 10% measured BMR in only 47% of individuals in hospital.


CONCLUSIONS
Tissue inflammation and medications were associated with change in measured energy expenditure in acutely ill patients.
Sheffield Institute for Nutritional Studies on Ageing, The University of Sheffield, Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, S5 7AU, UK. s.e.gariballa@sheffield.ac.uk
Salah
S
Gariballa
Sarah
S
Forster
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001481:Basal Metabolism; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D020521:Stroke
D002097:C-Reactive Protein