Nutritional approach in oncohematological patients. Best-practice in Spain

The PREDYCESR study showed that disease related malnutrition (DRM) affects 1 in 4 admitted patients, increasing to 36.8% in oncohematological patients. About 20% of oncological patients die for complications related to DRM. Our group planned in 2011 starting the implantation of nutritional screening in those departments with a higher risk of DRM. The present review aims to describe the whole process followed to improve the nutritional status in patients admitted in the Haematology ward of the Complejo Asistencial Universitario de Leon (CAULE), mostly diagnosed of haematological neoplasia. In an initial study, a high prevalence of undernutrition was detected, which tended to increase during admission. Besides, only 8.3% of patients received any nutritional support, and their energy and protein requirements were not covered, associated to a worse outcome. This reason made us to develop a nutritional screening and intervention, starting in 2011 and which has been recognized as Best Practice in our National Health Service.