[Current status of clinical nutrition at the network of public hospitals from Castilla y León].
BACKGROUND
Clinical nutrition is an activity realized in most of Health Centres of France, Canada, Great Britain and USA. The aim of our work was to determine activity and resources of Nutrition Units of Hospitals in the Community of Castilla y León.


METHODS
A questionnaire was send to all Hospitals of Castilla y León (SACYL); Hospital Universitario Rio Hortega, Hospital Clinico Universitario, Hospital Comarcal de Medina del Campo, Hospital General Yagüe-Divino Vallés (Burgos), Complejo Hospitalario de Le6n, Hospital General de Segovia, Hospital Virgen de Sonsoles de Avila, Hospital Virgen de la Concha de Zamora, Hospital Comarcal de Aranda de Duero, Hospital Comarcal de Miranda, Hospital General de Soria, Hospital Clinico Universitario de Salamanca.


RESULTS
Nine Centres responded questionnaire (75%). A total of 5 Hospitals had a Unit of Nutrition (55.6%). The results showed an average of 0.37 +/- 0.55 specialists for each 400 beds, 0.87 +/- 0.63 nurses for each 400 beds and 1.91 +/- 2.3 auxiliaries for each 400 beds, with an average of 0.21 +/- 0.41 specialists for each 100,000 habitants, 0.49 +/- 0.36 nurses for each 100,000 habitants and 1.09 +/- 1.2 auxiliaries for each 100,000 habitants. The activity of these Units is demanded by other Units, with an average of 3.2 +/- 3.4 consultations per day. The main diseases of this activity were 33.3% tumoral pathology, 55.6% surgery and 11.1% neurological pathology. Oral supplements were the first intervention tool. Only 3 Centres had a home artificial nutrition consultation. The main diseases of this activity were post surgical patients (33,3%), tumoral pathology (33,3%), neurological pathology (22%) and inflammatory bowel disease (11%).


CONCLUSIONS
Resources in Units of Nutrition of Castilla y Leon were limited. However, activity in Hospital an in home is equal than other areas. New actions of Local Administration are necessaries to follow recommendations of Council of Europe.
de Luis
D
D
Instituto de Endocrinología y Nutrición Clinica, Facultad de Medicina, Sociedad Castellano-Leonesa de Endocrinología, Diabetes y Nutrición, Espãna. dadluis@yahoo.com
Ballesteros
M
M
Cano
I
I
Fernández
M
M
Izaola
O
O
de la Lama
G
G
López Guzmán
A
A
Maldonado
A
A
Martín
M A
MA
Muñoz
C
C
Ruiz
E
E
D006757:Hospital Units / Q000592:standards*; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D044623:Nutrition Therapy; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires