The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is seeking comments through July 1, 2021 on its report regarding Malnutrition in Hospitalized Adults. The objective of the report was “To review the association between malnutrition and clinical outcomes among hospitalized patients, evaluate the effectiveness of screening for malnutrition on clinical outcomes, and assess the effectiveness of hospital-initiated interventions for patients diagnosed with malnutrition.” The present conclusion is “Evidence shows an association between malnutrition and increased mortality and prolonged length of hospital stay among hospitalized patients identified as malnourished. However, the strength of this association varies depending on patient population and tool used to identify malnutrition. A small body of evidence indicates malnutrition-focused hospital-initiated interventions likely reduce mortality and may improve quality of life compared to usual care among patients diagnosed with malnutrition. Research is needed to assess the clinical utility of screening for malnutrition.”
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