Figure 1: Enteral nutritional support in the positive
covid patient.
Advanced age and comorbidity is related to fragility, a syndrome
characterized by reduction of functional reserves and decreased
resistance to stress. Fragility is connected with loss weight and
malnutrition and acute hospitalization without adequate nutritional
support can worsen one situation already compromised. All patients
hospitalized for more than 48 hours, regardless of the index of initial
body mass (BMI) and age, are at risk of malnutrition and need timely and
appropriate nutritional intervention. Prolonged hospitalization
following catabolism and immobilization, induces a decrease in weight
and muscle mass that can result in sarcopenia, condition which in turn
helps to reduce respiratory and cardiac function, prolong the
hospitalization of the patient and worse prognosis. So counter or
prevent malnutrition hospital by improving the patient’s response to
therapy and facilitating healthcare professionals in the hospital
nutrition management by reducing the already high workload due to the
state of emergency.
Most patients have severe inflammation and anorexia which leads to one
drastic reduction of food intake which then leads to a respiratory
failure treated with continuous positive airway pressure. High calorie
diets must be readily provided. Oral integration of whey protein and
intravenous infusion of multivitamin and multimineral solutions must be
implemented at the time of admission. If respiratory conditions worsen,
total parenteral nutrition should be considered. To cope with the
current emergency crisis, nutritional assistance must be implemented
promptly and pragmatically in patients with COVID-19 because it could be
neglected although it is necessary for the benefit of clinical and
effective results in preventing the consequences of malnutrition in this
patient population.