Table 2.
Comparison of the categorical variables of the nourished and malnourished groups
| Nutritional indicator | Classification | Nourished n (%) | Malnourished n (%) | p value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arm-circumference | ≤P5 | 22 (6.8) | 31 (50.8) | <0.0001* |
| P5-P15 | 42 (12.9) | 13 (21.3) | ||
| >P15 | 260 (80.2) | 17 (27.8) | ||
| Triceps skinfold thickness | ≤P5 | 9 (2.8) | 9 (14.8) | <0.0001** |
| P5-P15 | 17 (5.3) | 14 (22.9) | ||
| >P15 | 297 (91.9) | 38 (62.3) | ||
| Arm muscle-circumference | ≤P5 | 55 (17.0) | 34 (56.7) | <0.0001* |
| P5-P15 | 56 (17.3) | 7 (11.7) | ||
| >P15 | 211 (65.5) | 19 (31.7) | ||
| Arm muscle-area | ≤P5 | 50 (15.6) | 30 (50.8) | <0.0001* |
| P5-P15 | 35 (10.9) | 11 (18.6) | ||
| >P15 | 236 (73.5) | 18 (30.5) | ||
| Arm fat-area | ≤P5 | 25 (9.0) | 8 (17.8) | 0.0692** |
| P5-P15 | 9 (3.2) | 3 (6.7) | ||
| >P15 | 241 (87.6) | 34 (75.5) | ||
| Calf-circumference*** | ≥31 cm | 55 (63.2) | 4 (15.3) | <0.0001* |
| <31 cm | 32 (36.8) | 22 (84.6) | ||
| Haemoglobin level | No risk | 152 (58.9) | 24 (47.0) | 0.1182** |
| At risk | 106 (41.0) | 27 (52.9) | ||
| Recent weight change | Weight gain | 70 (22.9) | 12 (20.0) | 0.0010* |
| No change | 183 (59.8) | 25 (41.7) | ||
| Weight loss | 53 (17.3) | 23 (38.3) | ||
| HEI/ER <75% | No | 186 (58.5) | 29 (49.1) | 0.1833* |
| Yes | 132 (41.5) | 30 (50.8) | ||
| Length of stay at hospital | Up to 6 days | 230 (70.5) | 34 (54.9) | 0.0150* |
| ≥7 days | 96 (29.4) | 28 (45.2) | ||
| Deceased | Yes | 6 (1.8) | 4 (6.4) | 0.0587** |
| No | 320 (98.1) | 58 (93.5) |
*Chi-square test;
**Fisher's exact test;
***Only in elderly patients; HEI/ER <75%=Habitual energy intake <75% of the energy requirement