Avaliação nutricional e a associação com o internamento hospitalar de crianças acometidas por COVID-19

Abstract

Objective: to associate the nutritional risk and nutritional status of children affected by COVID-19 with socioeconomic, demographic and hospitalization issues. Methods: observational, analytical study, with data collection through online questionnaires for socioeconomic and demographic data, and clinical records to obtain nutritional assessments (StrongKids and Weight/Age). Absolute and relative frequencies were estimated with 95% confidence intervals. Univariate analyzes and odds ratios were performed for the association between nutritional risk and nutritional status with hospitalization variables. Results: of the 42 children evaluated, 40.5% were at low nutritional risk, 47.6% at moderate risk and 11.9% at high risk. Of these, 69% are in adequate weight, 19% in high weight and 12% in low weight. Economic classes C, D or E (p=0.004) and age up to 4 years old (p=0.01) were associated with higher nutritional risks. Moderate/high nutritional risks (OR=2.16) and low weight nutritional status (OR=1.26) were factors that increased the length of hospital stay. For ICU admission, high (OR=11.25) and moderate (OR=1.32) nutritional risks, and low weight (OR=4.16) and high weight (OR=2.08) nutritional status, were risk factors. Conclusions: children with low socioeconomic conditions, at moderate/high nutritional risk or nutritional extremes are more susceptible to worsening by COVID-19.