Perfil socioeconômico e nutricional de pacientes com doença inflamatória intestinal internados em um hospital universitário

Perfil socioeconômico e nutricional de pacientes com doença inflamatória intestinal internados em um hospital universitário

Arquivos de Gastroenterologia, October 2007

17962852

Flávia Nunes Salviano, Maria Goretti Pessoa de Araújo Burgos, Eduila Couto Santos

Inflammatory bowel diseases include chronic and relapsing inflammatory disorders, represented by ulcerative proctocolitis and Crohns disease, commonly associated with malnutrition. Characterize the nutritional and socioeconomic profile of patients hospitalized at the Pernambuco "Hospital das Clínicas", Recife, PE, Brazil. Cross-sectional study carried out at the gastroenterology clinic, which was previously approved by the Ethics Commission for studies involving human beings. The methods included clinical history data, socioeconomic conditions and nutritional assessment. Data were subject to statistical analysis (Students t test for equal and unequal variables). The sample consisted of 24 male and female patients, with a mean age of 43.83 +/- 16.13 years, mostly married, coming from Recife, with low income, who lived in their own house with relatives. We found a higher prevalence of ulcerative proctocolitis (62.5%), with diagnosis time of more than 5 years, symptoms of abdominal pain, bloody-mucous diarrhea with 6-9 evacuations/day, with the distal colon being the most affected part. Osteoporosis was present in 26.7% of cases. Nutritional status was assessed through the body mass index. The weight loss percentage corresponded to 41.7% and 70.8%, respectively, classified as malnourished, associated or not with high prevalence levels of anemia, hypoalbuminemia and hypocalcemia. Gender correlation evidenced higher triceps fold and arm circumference values in men. Despite the study limitations, data suggest relevant information about the occurrence of these diseases in the northeast of Brazil, as well as about its frequent association with important nutritional deficiencies.