J Clin Med Res

Journal of Clinical Medicine Research, ISSN 1918-3003 print, 1918-3011 online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Clin Med Res and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website https://www.jocmr.org

Original Article

Volume 12, Number 11, November 2020, pages 705-710

Influence of Geriatric Patients’ Food Preferences on the Selection of Discharge Destination

**Table 1.** Demographics
Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The main diseases for admission included chronic heart failure, bronchial pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and type 2 diabetes; however, these conditions had been treated in the acute care hospital, and thus, patients’ condition became stable. Alb: serum albumin; FPG: fasting plasma glucose; BUN: blood urea nitrogen; Cr: creatinine; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate.
Number of patients (male/female)	65 (31/34)
Age (years)	80.0 ± 8.2
Body mass index (kg/m²)	20.8 ± 3.9
Charlson comorbidity index (score)	2.4 ± 1.4
Duration of hospitalization (days)	62.2 ± 39.3
Alb ((g/dL)	3.4 ± 0.5
FPG (mg/dL)	102.3 ± 28.9
BUN (mg/dL)	17.9 ± 7.3
Cr (mg/dL)	0.9 ± 0.3
eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m²)	66.9 ± 21.7
Not approved for nursing care service (number of patients)	6
Approved for nursing care service (number of patients)	59
Assistance required 1 (number of patients)	0
Assistance required 2 (number of patients)	6
Nursing care required 1 (number of patients)	7
Nursing care required 2 (number of patients)	13
Nursing care required 3 (number of patients)	10
Nursing care required 4 (number of patients)	16
Nursing care required 5 (number of patients)	7

Table 1. Demographics

Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. The main diseases for admission included chronic heart failure, bronchial pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and type 2 diabetes; however, these conditions had been treated in the acute care hospital, and thus, patients’ condition became stable. Alb: serum albumin; FPG: fasting plasma glucose; BUN: blood urea nitrogen; Cr: creatinine; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate.

Number of patients (male/female)

65 (31/34)

Age (years)

80.0 ± 8.2

Body mass index (kg/m²)

20.8 ± 3.9

Charlson comorbidity index (score)

2.4 ± 1.4

Duration of hospitalization (days)

62.2 ± 39.3

Alb ((g/dL)

3.4 ± 0.5

FPG (mg/dL)

102.3 ± 28.9

BUN (mg/dL)

17.9 ± 7.3

Cr (mg/dL)

0.9 ± 0.3

eGFR (mL/min/1.73 m²)

66.9 ± 21.7

Not approved for nursing care service (number of patients)

Approved for nursing care service (number of patients)

Assistance required 1 (number of patients)

Assistance required 2 (number of patients)

Nursing care required 1 (number of patients)

Nursing care required 2 (number of patients)

Nursing care required 3 (number of patients)

Nursing care required 4 (number of patients)

Nursing care required 5 (number of patients)

**Table 2.** Hospital Food Consumption
	Before eating^a	After eating^b	P value
^aCalorie intake calculated from the menu served to patients. ^bCalorie intake calculated from actual food consumption. ^cP < 0.001, paired t-test. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. NPC/N: nonprotein calorie/nitrogen.
Number of patients	65	65
Energy (kcal/day)	1,747 ± 119	1,341 ± 283	0.000^c
Energy (kcal/kg/day)	36.2 ± 8.1	26.9 ± 5.7	0.000^c
Protein (g/day)	62.5 ± 10.6	53.0 ± 10.4	0.000^c
Protein (g/kg/day)	1.3 ± 0.4	1.1 ± 0.2	0.000^c
NPC/N	138 ± 11.0	135.1 ± 16.6	0.246
NPC/N (maximum value - minimum value)	(148 - 118)	(218 - 103)

Table 2. Hospital Food Consumption

Before eating^a

After eating^b

P value

^aCalorie intake calculated from the menu served to patients. ^bCalorie intake calculated from actual food consumption. ^cP < 0.001, paired t-test. Data are expressed as mean ± standard deviation. NPC/N: nonprotein calorie/nitrogen.

Number of patients

Energy (kcal/day)

1,747 ± 119

1,341 ± 283

0.000^c

Energy (kcal/kg/day)

36.2 ± 8.1

26.9 ± 5.7

0.000^c

Protein (g/day)

62.5 ± 10.6

53.0 ± 10.4

0.000^c

Protein (g/kg/day)

1.3 ± 0.4

1.1 ± 0.2

0.000^c

NPC/N

138 ± 11.0

135.1 ± 16.6

0.246

NPC/N (maximum value - minimum value)

(148 - 118)

(218 - 103)

**Table 3.** Factors That Influence Discharge Destination Extracted Using the NPC/N Ratio Calculated From the Actual Food Consumed (NPC/N^a)
	Partial regression coefficient	OR	95% confidence interval	P value
^aNPC/N of food consumed, n = 65, logistic regression analysis. ^bP < 0.05. ^cP < 0.01. OR: odds ratio; Alb: serum albumin; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate; NPC/N: nonprotein calorie/nitrogen.
Age	-0.017	0.983	0.851	1.14	0.815
Sex	-5.090	0.006	0.000	0.272	0.008^c
Nursing care level	0.255	1.290	0.626	2.680	0.485
Hospitalization duration	0.068	1.070	1.020	1.130	0.009^c
Alb	3.186	24.200	1.600	365.000	0.022^b
eGFR	-0.073	0.930	0.875	0.988	0.019^b
NPC/N^a	-0.222	0.801	0.698	0.920	0.002^c

Table 3. Factors That Influence Discharge Destination Extracted Using the NPC/N Ratio Calculated From the Actual Food Consumed (NPC/N^a)

Partial regression coefficient

95% confidence interval

P value

Upper limit

Lower limit

^aNPC/N of food consumed, n = 65, logistic regression analysis. ^bP < 0.05. ^cP < 0.01. OR: odds ratio; Alb: serum albumin; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate; NPC/N: nonprotein calorie/nitrogen.

Age

-0.017

0.983

0.851

1.14

0.815

Sex

-5.090

0.006

0.000

0.272

0.008^c

Nursing care level

0.255

1.290

0.626

2.680

0.485

Hospitalization duration

0.068

1.070

1.020

1.130

0.009^c

Alb

3.186

24.200

1.600

365.000

0.022^b

eGFR

-0.073

0.930

0.875

0.988

0.019^b

NPC/N^a

-0.222

0.801

0.698

0.920

0.002^c

**Table 4.** Factors That Influence Discharge Destination Extracted Using the NPC/N Ratio Calculated From the Hospital Meal Menu (NPC/N^a)
	Partial regression coefficient	OR	95% confidence interval	P value
^aNPC/N calculated from hospital meal menu, n = 65, logistic regression analysis. OR: odds ratio; Alb: serum albumin; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate; NPC/N: nonprotein calorie/nitrogen.
Age	-0.082	0.921	0.809	1.050	0.211
Sex	-1.599	0.202	0.030	1.360	0.100
Nursing care level	0.140	1.150	0.627	2.100	0.654
Hospitalization duration	0.020	1.020	0.986	1.060	0.243
Alb	0.247	1.280	0.155	10.600	0.818
eGFR	0.020	1.020	0.963	1.080	0.494
NPC/N^¶	1.541	4.670	0.000	0.000	0.995

Table 4. Factors That Influence Discharge Destination Extracted Using the NPC/N Ratio Calculated From the Hospital Meal Menu (NPC/N^a)

Partial regression coefficient

95% confidence interval

P value

Upper limit

Lower limit

^aNPC/N calculated from hospital meal menu, n = 65, logistic regression analysis. OR: odds ratio; Alb: serum albumin; eGFR: estimated glomerular filtration rate; NPC/N: nonprotein calorie/nitrogen.

Age

-0.082

0.921

0.809

1.050

0.211

Sex

-1.599

0.202

0.030

1.360

0.100

Nursing care level

0.140

1.150

0.627

2.100

0.654

Hospitalization duration

0.020

1.020

0.986

1.060

0.243

Alb

0.247

1.280

0.155

10.600

0.818

eGFR

0.020

1.020

0.963

1.080

0.494

NPC/N^¶

1.541

4.670

0.000

0.995