title: Dutch national survey to test the STRONGkids nutritional risk screening tool in hospitalized children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Children admitted to the hospital are at risk of developing malnutrition. The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility and value of a new nutritional risk screening tool, called STRONG(kids), in a nationwide study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A Prospective observational multi-centre study was performed in 44 Dutch hospitals (7 academic and 37 general), over three consecutive days during the month of November 2007. The STRONG(kids) screening tool consisted of 4 items: (1) subjective clinical assessment, (2) high risk disease, (3) nutritional intake, (4) weight loss. Measurements of weight and length were performed. SD-scores <-2 for weight-for-height and height-for-age were considered to indicate acute and chronic malnutrition respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 424 children were included. Median age was 3.5 years and median hospital stay was 2 days. Sixty-two percent of the children were classified "at risk" of developing malnutrition by the STRONG(kids) tool. Children at risk had significantly lower SD-scores for weight-for-height, a higher prevalence of acute malnutrition and a longer hospital stay compared to children with no nutritional risk.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The nutritional risk screening tool STRONG(kids) was successfully applied to 98% of the children. Using this tool, a significant relationship was found between having a "high risk" score, a negative SD-score in weight-for-height and a prolonged hospital stay.
authors.affiliation: Erasmus MC, Department of Pediatrics, Sophia's Children Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. j.hulst@erasmusmc.nl
authors.forename: Jessie M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hulst
authors.forename: Henrike
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zwart
authors.forename: Wim C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Hop
authors.forename: Koen F M
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Joosten
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D002648:Child; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002673:Child, Hospitalized / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires