By Ngwu, Elizabeth Kanayo
The n u t r i t i o n a l s t a t u s of 97 male patients admitted f o r l i v e r , renal,
diabetes mellitus and heart diseases a t the University of Nigeria Teaching
Hospital, (UNTH), Enugu, were evaluated on the f i r s t day of hospitalization.
A follow-up study was conducted on 33 out of the 97 patients a o stayed
two wt:-?k:; or ionger. The techniques used included several indicators
of malnutrition (height, weight, mid-arm circumference, t r i c e p s skin-fold
thic?cric~ss, blood glucose, serum t o t a l protein, alhmin, globulin, haemoglobin
and pyruvate l e v e l s ) , Five day weighed dietary intake study of hospital
diet was conducted on subsample of the patients, Results showed high
prevalence of malnutrition (40% or more) i n a l l the patients by these
c r i t e r i a ( f o r exam~le, weight/height 40%, skin-fold measurement 78%, and
serum albumin 55%). Greater percentage of diabetic (75%) and l i v e r patients
(6x6) were mostly malnourished and less percentage of renal (13%) and
hzart (FA) patients were malnourished, A follow up evaluation, showed
s i g n i L i c ~ n t increases in t o t a l protein, serum albumin and hamoglobin
for l i v e r and rcnal patients (P+0.0.1). There was however a significant
dece-r. L-;u- s- t: i n weight f o r r ena l p a t i e n t s (P4 OOO$). Hospi tal d i e t was found
low for scveral important nutrients particularly riboflavin and ascorbic
acid compared with FA0 requirements ranging from energy (67,6 t o 8104%),
calcium (67,O t o 73,3%), niacin (37-6 t o 76.9%), riboflavin (26.1 t o
40,0;:), ascorbic (2200 t o 28,7%). Patients intakes f o r iron
(81.3 to 102.9%) and r e t i n o l (9800 t o 100%) were marginally adequate-
Protein intake