TABLE 2.
Differences of patient characteristics according to departments.
| Neuro* (n = 546) | Non-neuro* (n = 625) | P-value | |
| Age (mean) | 67.4 ± 14.58 | 71.6 ± 13.96 | <0.001 |
| Sex (male) | 321 (58.8) | 395 (63.2) | 0.123 |
| Height | 163.94 ± 11.10 | 162.75 ± 16.13 | 0.148 |
| Weight | 63.04 ± 13.46 | 57.61 ± 12.56 | <0.001 |
| BMI | 23.30 ± 3.85 | 21.52 ± 3.57 | <0.001 |
| Low albumin** | 77 (14.1) | 371 (59.4) | <0.001 |
| EN | 275 (50.4) | 151 (24.2) | <0.001 |
| PN | 234 (42.9) | 411 (65.8) | <0.001 |
| Spontaneous feeding | 34 (6.2) | 136 (21.8) | <0.001 |
| NPO | 253 (46.3) | 347 (55.5) | 0.002 |
| Ascite | 0 (0.0) | 6 (1.0) | 0.033 |
| Edema | 11 (2.0) | 45 (7.2) | <0.001 |
| Jaundice | 0 (0.0) | 7 (1.1) | 0.017 |
| Dialysis | 15 (2.7) | 33 (5.3) | 0.029 |
| Bad appetite | 20 (3.7) | 116 (18.6) | <0.001 |
| Difficulty chewing | 264 (48.4) | 135 (21.6) | <0.001 |
| Difficulty swallowing | 225 (41.2) | 92 (14.7) | <0.001 |
| Diarrhea | 7 (1.3) | 14 (2.2) | 0.218 |
| Constipation | 2 (0.4) | 2 (0.3) | 1.000 |
| Pressure sore | 326 (59.7) | 434 (69.4) | <0.001 |
| Pressure sore grade at NST referral | |||
| Grade 0 | 19 (5.6) | 15 (3.3) | |
| Grade 1 | 237 (69.3) | 297 (66.0) | |
| Grade 2 | 77 (22.5) | 122 (27.1) | 0.316 |
| Grade 3 | 7 (2.0) | 12 (2.7) | |
| Grade 4 | 2 (0.6) | 4 (0.9) | |
| Changes in pressure sore grades*** | |||
| Improved | 9 (2.6) | 16 (3.6) | |
| No change | 301 (88.0) | 396 (88.0) | 0.702 |
| Aggravated | 32 (9.4) | 33 (8.4) | |
| ICU treatment | 138 (25.3) | 188 (30.1) | 0.067 |
| APACHE II score | 15.66 ± 8.17 | 13.20 ± 7.28 | 0.008 |
| Length of ICU stay | 22.22 ± 21.88 | 25.66 ± 22.63 | 0.170 |
| Average number of weeks to reach the target calories | 2.10 ± 2.59 | 1.41 ± 0.87 | 0.003 |
| Number of patients who improved their calories | 366 (67.0) | 496 (79.4) | <0.001 |
| Amounts of improved calories | 12.033 ± 26.1 | 27.861 ± 36.12 | <0.001 |
| Physicians received NST training | 94 (17.2) | 229 (36.6) | <0.001 |
| Laboratory findings | |||
| WBC (103/μL) | 11.12 ± 4.36 | 11.18 ± 6.09 | 0.846 |
| Hb (g/dL) | 11.22 ± 2.19 | 10.05 ± 1.99 | <0.001 |
| Na (mEq/L) | 141.38 ± 7.16 | 138.63 ± 5.88 | <0.001 |
| K (mEq/L) | 3.72 ± 0.58 | 3.69 ± 0.65 | 0.361 |
| Cl (mEq/L) | 106.12 ± 6.96 | 103.42 ± 6.74 | <0.001 |
| Ca (mEq/L) | 8.31 ± 0.53 | 7.92 ± 0.77 | <0.001 |
| Mg (mEq/L) | 2.06 ± 0.25 | 2.14 ± 0.38 | 0.003 |
| P (mg/dL) | 3.72 ± 2.40 | 2.95 ± 1.23 | 0.006 |
| ALT (U/L) | 26.44 ± 30.30 | 49.67 ± 127.99 | <0.001 |
| AST (U/L) | 40.04 ± 39.92 | 77.58 ± 246.92 | <0.001 |
| Glucose (mg/dL) | 143.70 ± 65.43 | 133.53 ± 71.06 | 0.110 |
| Albumin (g/dL) | 3.49 ± 0.49 | 2.94 ± 0.46 | <0.001 |
| Cholesterol (mg/dL) | 157.33 ± 42.62 | 118.05 ± 38.76 | <0.001 |
| Triglyceride (mg/dL) | 112.55 ± 84.94 | 113.17 ± 78.49 | 0.915 |
| CRP (mg/dL) | 6.59 ± 7.19 | 11.11 ± 9.22 | <0.001 |
| BUN (mg/dL) | 21.74 ± 14.82 | 25.84 ± 17.47 | <0.001 |
| Cr (mg/dL) | 0.97 ± 1.130 | 1.10 ± 1.12 | 0.041 |
Values are the number of patients (%) or mean ± standard deviation unless otherwise indicated. *Neuro = Neurology and Neurosurgery, Non-neuro = other departments, **Low albumin = serum albumin ≤ 3.0 g/dL, ***Changes in pressure sore grades at the first time of NST referral and discharge. BMI, body mass index; EN, enteral nutrition; PN, parenteral nutrition; NPO, nil per os or nothing by mouth; ICU, intensive care unit; APACHE II, acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II; NST, nutrition support team; WBC, white blood cell; Hb, hemoglobin; CRP, C-reactive protein; BUN, blood urea nitrogen; Cr, creatinine.