Nutritional support during the hospital stay reduces mortality in patients with different types of cancers: Secondary analysis of a prospective randomized trial
Abstract
INTRODUCTION
Nutritional support in patients with cancer aims at improving quality of life. Whether use of nutritional support is also effective in improving clinical outcomes remains understudied.
METHODS
In this preplanned secondary analysis of patients with cancer included in a prospective, randomized-controlled, Swiss, multicenter trial (EFFORT), we compared protocol-guided individualized nutritional support (intervention group) to standard hospital food (control group) regarding mortality at 30-day (primary endpoint) and other clinical outcomes.
RESULTS
We analyzed 506 patients with a main admission diagnosis of cancer, including lung cancer (n=113), gastrointestinal tumors (n=84), hematological malignancies (n=108) and other types of cancer (n=201). Nutritional risk based on Nutritional Risk Screening [NRS 2002] was an independent predictor for mortality over 180 days with a (age-, sex-, center-, type of cancer-, tumor activity- and treatment-) adjusted hazard ratio of 1.29 (95% CI 1.09 to 1.54; p=0.004) per point increase in NRS. In the 30-day follow-up period, 50 patients (19.9%) died in the control group compared to 36 (14.1%) in the intervention group resulting in an adjusted odds ratio of 0.57 (95% CI 0.35 to 0.94; p=0.027). Interaction tests did not show significant differences in mortality across the cancer type subgroups. Nutritional support also significantly improved functional outcomes and quality of life measures.
CONCLUSION
Compared to usual hospital…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a secondary / pooled analysis, done in people. Its evidence level is 3 of 5 (Moderate · trial / cohort / secondary analysis). Trials without a large randomized design, cohorts and secondary analyses give moderate evidence. Reported size: 506 participants or records.
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