Profile of patients using nasoenteric probe at the adult emergency service in a public hospital

Resumo

Introduction: Part of the prognosis of hospitalized patient depends on nutritional status and the safety and efficacy of the feeding administration route. Therefore, the aim of this study was to identify data on the indication of nasoenteric tube (NET) prescription to analyze the profile of these patients.

Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was carried out with data collection in medical records of patients over 18 years of age, of both sexes, treated at the Emergency Adult Service (EAS), using NET.

Results: there was a predominance of females (51.9%); neurological disease was the most prevalent underlying disease, and 57.8% had more than one diagnosed disease. Malnutrition, bronchopneumonia, and dysphagia were present in 23.6%, 27% and 40% of the cases, respectively. There was a request for speech-language evaluation in only 8.7% of the patients. And 80.7% did not use NET prior to emergency care. Regarding the indications for the use of NET by group of underlying disease, low food intake was the most prevalent clinical reason described in the medical records, followed by dysphagia, with a higher prevalence of patients taking NET for nutritional reasons. There was no justification for prescription in 15.2% of the sample. There was an association between the variables bronchopneumonia and dysphagia (p = 0.01).

Conclusion: It was verified that in the studied population there are risk factors for dysphagia. The analysis of the population profile in the present study contributed to increased knowledge and information about this population regarding the criteria for indication of the use of the alternative route.

Keywords: Deglutition disorders; enteral nutrition; emergency medical services