Holyday 2012.
Methods | Randomised clinical trial, Australia | |
Participants | 143 hospitalised adults admitted to the geriatric ward due to falls, delirium and polypharmacy problems, at nutritional risk due to being elderly frail Male:Female = 61:82 Mean age = 83.5 Exclusion criteria: expected length of stay < 72 hrs, palliative unable to be nutritionally assessed (non‐English‐speaking, severe dementia/confusion, non‐co‐operative/refused), already seen by a dietitian during the admission (e.g. transferred from another ward) or enrolled in the study during a previous admission |
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Interventions | Experimental group: General nutrition support. The Malnutrition Care Plan involved the modification of hospital meals (texture modification and fortification), prescription of nutrition supplements, i.e. nutrient‐dense drinks and snacks including commercial supplements, flagging for assistance with meals by ward‐based staff, education of participants and their caregivers regarding optimisation of nutrition intake and referral to other health professionals for discharge planning. The Malnutrition Care Plan was tailored to individual requirements based on the clinical dietitian’s assessment and prescription.(n = 71) Control group: Treatment as usual(n = 72) |
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Outcomes | Weight, mortality, length of stay and cost of hospital admission | |
Study dates | Between April 2006 and September 2006 | |
Notes | We contacted the authors on 9th June 2015 by email: Margaret.Holyday@sesiahs.health.nsw.gov.au. We received no reply. | |
Risk of bias | ||
Bias | Authors' judgement | Support for judgement |
Random sequence generation (selection bias) | Low risk | Participants were randomised by computerised random‐number generator. |
Allocation concealment (selection bias) | Unclear risk | Not described |
Blinding of participants and personnel (performance bias) All outcomes | High risk | Participants and personnel could not be blinded. |
Blinding of outcome assessment (detection bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | Not described |
Incomplete outcome data (attrition bias) All outcomes | Unclear risk | The number of participants with incomplete data was not reported. |
Selective reporting (reporting bias) | Unclear risk | No protocol could be obtained and the trial did not report serious adverse events. |
For‐profit bias | High risk | The trial was funded by the Gut Foundation (Randwick, Australia) and funded by Pharmatel Fresenius Kabi Pty Ltd. |
Other bias | Low risk | The trial appeared to be free of other components that could put it at risk of bias. |