Dutch national survey to test the STRONGkids nutritional risk screening tool in hospitalized children.
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.
Hulst
Jessie M
JM
Erasmus MC, Department of Pediatrics, Sophia's Children Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. j.hulst@erasmusmc.nl
Zwart
Henrike
H
Hop
Wim C
WC
Joosten
Koen F M
KF
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