Supplement Cuts Mortality, Readmission Rates by 50%

A specialized oral nutrition supplement was associated with a 50% lower mortality rate in malnourished, elderly patients with heart or lung disease following hospitalization, according to a recent study.

Readmission and mortality rates are high among hospitalized, malnourished older adults. In order to test the effectiveness of a high-protein nutritional supplement containing beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate on outcomes among these patients, researchers conducted a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial of patients over 65 years old with congestive heart failure, acute myocardial infarction, pneumonia, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
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The primary endpoint of the study was 90-day postdischarge incidence of death or readmission. Researchers also measured 30- and 60-day postdischarge mortality and readmission rates, body weight, and class of malnourishment on the Subjective Global Assessment scale.

Overall, 90-day mortality was significantly lower among those patients taking the nutritional supplement compared to placebo (4.8% vs 9.7%). The supplement was also associated with improved rating on the nutritional scale and an increase in body weight at day 30.

“Although no effects were observed for the primary composite endpoint, compared with placebo HP-HMB decreased mortality and improved indices of nutritional status during the 90-day observation period,” they concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Deutz NE, Matheson EM, Matarese LE, et al. Readmission and mortality in malnourished, older, hospitalized adults treated with a specialized oral nutritional supplement: A randomized clinical trial. Clinical Nutrition. 2016 January 18 [epub ahead of print]. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.clnu.2015.12.010.