Impact of Nutritional Support Teams and Micronutrient Supplementation on Clinical Outcomes: Assessing Compliance and Feasibility in a Cohort Study

Abstract Introduction Micronutrient (MN) supplementation has a positive impact on clinical outcomes. However, the evidence for the impact of MN supplementation remains controversial. Therefore, our study aims to assess the impact on nutritional outcomes according to exploring the implementation of MN support with multidisciplinary collaboration. Methods All 255 patients referred to a nutrition support team (NST) between July and November 2022 were included. The NST reviews the MN protocol, which includes multivitamins and trace elements, based on international nutrient guidelines. All patients who were on nothing per oral and did not meet ≥ 70% of their nutritional requirements within 1 week were recommended MN supplements. Compliance with the MN protocol was evaluated, alterations in nutritional status based on the Nutrition Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002) scoring system and clinical outcomes were assessed after 7 day and at discharge. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with high nutritional risk in discharged patients. In addition, a sub-analysis was performed on changes in the nutritional of patients on the ward and in the intensive care unit (ICU). Results The rate of implementation of MN supplementation was 50.2%. The findings indicated a significant decrease in the NRS 2002 score in the good-compliance group with MN supplementation. No significant differences in protocol compliance were observed in terms of mortality, hospital stay, or length of stay in the intensive care unit. However, bad compliance with MN supplementation was correlated with risk factors for malnutrition at discharge. In subgroup analysis, nutritional status in the ICU and wards improved, with a significant difference between the two groups. Conclusion MN supplementation via the protocol is helpful for inpatients’ nutritional status. Therefore, bad compliance with MN supplementation has been identified as a risk factor for malnutrition at discharge, which requires active intervention by the NST.