BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Patients with COVID-19 infection presents with a broad clinical spectrum of symptoms and complications. As a consequence nutritional requirements are not met, resulting in weight- and muscle loss, and malnutrition. The aim of the present study is to delineate nutritional complaints, the (course of the) nutritional status and risk of sarcopenia of COVID-19 patients, during hospitalisation and after discharge.METHODS: In this prospective observational study in 407 hospital admitted COVID-19 patients in four university and peripheral hospitals, data were collected during dietetic consultations. Presence of nutrition related complaints (decreased appetite, loss of smell, changed taste, loss of taste, chewing and swallowing problems, nausea, vomiting, feeling of being full, stool frequency and consistency, gastric retention, need for help with food intake due to weakness and shortness of breath and nutritional status (weight loss, BMI, risk of sarcopenia with SARC-F ≥4 points) before, during hospital stay and after discharge were, where possible, collected.RESULTS: Included patients were most men (69%), median age of 64.8 ± 12.4 years, 60% were admitted to ICU at any time point during hospitalisation with a median LOS of 15 days and an in-hospital mortality rate of 21%. The most commonly reported complaints were: decreased appetite (58%), feeling of being full (49%) and shortness of breath (43%). One in three patients experienced changed taste, loss of taste and/or loss of smell. Prior to hospital admission, 67% of the patients was overweight (BMI >25 kg/m2), 35% of the patients was characterised as malnourished, mainly caused by considerable weight loss. Serious acute weight loss (>5 kg) was showed in 22% of the patents during the hospital stay; most of these patients (85%) were admitted to the ICU at any point in time. A high risk of sarcopenia (SARC-F ≥ 4 points) was scored in 73% of the patients during hospital admission.CONCLUSION: In conclusion, one in five hospital admitted COVID-19 patients suffered from serious acute weight loss and 73% had a high risk of sarcopenia. Moreover, almost all patients had one or more nutritional complaints. Of these complaints, decreased appetite, feeling of being full, shortness of breath and changed taste and loss of taste were the most predominant nutrition related complaints. These symptoms have serious repercussions on nutritional status. Although nutritional complaints persisted a long time after discharge, only a small group of patients received dietetic treatment after hospital discharge in recovery phase. Clinicians should consider the risks of acute malnutrition and sarcopenia in COVID-19 patients and investigate multidisciplinary treatment including dietetics during hospital stay and after discharge.
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Patients with COVID-19 infection presents with a broad clinical spectrum of symptoms and complications. As a consequence nutritional requirements are not met, resulting in weight- and muscle loss, and malnutrition. The aim of the present study is to delineate nutritional complaints, the (course of the) nutritional status and risk of sarcopenia of COVID-19 patients, during hospitalisation and after discharge.METHODS: In this prospective observational study in 407 hospital admitted COVID-19 patients in four university and peripheral hospitals, data were collected during dietetic consultations. Presence of nutrition related complaints (decreased appetite, loss of smell, changed taste, loss of taste, chewing and swallowing problems, nausea, vomiting, feeling of being full, stool frequency and consistency, gastric retention, need for help with food intake due to weakness and shortness of breath and nutritional status (weight loss, BMI, risk of sarcopenia with SARC-F ≥4 points) before, during hospital stay and after discharge were, where possible, collected.RESULTS: Included patients were most men (69%), median age of 64.8 ± 12.4 years, 60% were admitted to ICU at any time point during hospitalisation with a median LOS of 15 days and an in-hospital mortality rate of 21%. The most commonly reported complaints were: decreased appetite (58%), feeling of being full (49%) and shortness of breath (43%). One in three patients experienced changed taste, loss of taste and/or loss of smell. Prior to hospital admission, 67% of the patients was overweight (BMI >25 kg/m2), 35% of the patients was characterised as malnourished, mainly caused by considerable weight loss. Serious acute weight loss (>5 kg) was showed in 22% of the patents during the hospital stay; most of these patients (85%) were admitted to the ICU at any point in time. A high risk of sarcopenia (SARC-F ≥ 4 points) was scored in 73% of the patients during hospital admission.CONCLUSION: In conclusion, one in five hospital admitted COVID-19 patients suffered from serious acute weight loss and 73% had a high risk of sarcopenia. Moreover, almost all patients had one or more nutritional complaints. Of these complaints, decreased appetite, feeling of being full, shortness of breath and changed taste and loss of taste were the most predominant nutrition related complaints. These symptoms have serious repercussions on nutritional status. Although nutritional complaints persisted a long time after discharge, only a small group of patients received dietetic treatment after hospital discharge in recovery phase. Clinicians should consider the risks of acute malnutrition and sarcopenia in COVID-19 patients and investigate multidisciplinary treatment including dietetics during hospital stay and after discharge.
In De Haagse Hogeschool werken de lectoraten vanuit faculteiten, dicht bij het onderwijs, nauw samen in zeven kenniscentra. Deze kenniscentra zijn de verbinding tussen de regio, met zijn actuele thema’s (vaak gelinkt aan het missiegedreven innovatiebeleid van de overheid) en het onderwijs en onderzoek van de Haagse Hogeschool. De zeven kenniscentra van De Haagse Hogeschool zijn: Cybersecurity, Digital Operations & Finance, Global & Inclusive Learning, Global Governance, Health Innovation, Governance of Urban Transitions & Mission Zero. Deze kenniscentra zijn in opstartende fase en worden ondersteund door centrale diensten. De Haagse Hogeschool kiest voor versterking van de onderzoeksinfrastructuur die centraal staat in de kenniscentra: ‘de Haagse Labs’. Praktijkgericht onderzoek vindt in deze omgevingen plaats als een vervlechting van onderwijs (studenten en docenten), onderzoek, het werkveld en maatschappelijke partners. Sommige labs hebben een tijdelijk karakter, andere, zoals de hogeschool zelf, zijn continu een omgeving waarbinnen onderzoek gedaan wordt. De Haagse Labs zijn bij uitstek de plek waarin nauw samengewerkt wordt met andere hogescholen of kennisinstellingen (veelal zijn ze ontstaan uit een samenwerking zoals The Green Village, of het Basalt SmartLab). De keuze voor de Haagse Labs geeft verdieping aan regionale samenwerkingen en bijbehorende speerpunten. De huidige, meer informele inrichting, kan met behulp van Impuls 2020, verder structuur krijgen, leiden tot een betere kennisdeling tussen de kenniscentra heen en de regionale netwerkvorming versterken. Naast het formaliseren van ‘de Haagse Labs’ zetten we in op zichtbaarheid van de Hogeschool in de regio door te investeren in communicatie (denk bijvoorbeeld aan het opzetten van podcasts, en digitale middelen in Corona-tijd). Die profilering van ons onderzoek wordt verder ondersteunt door een traject rond visievorming en strategische positionering. De kenniscentra zullen begeleid worden om einde 2021 een visie te ontwikkelen met bijbehorende acties om de rol van de hogeschool in de regio te versterken.
SIA-RAAK gefinancierd MKB onderzoeksproject gericht op het onderzoeken van de vraag: hoe historische gebouwen energiezuiniger en comfortabeler kunnen worden gemaakt zonder monumentale waarden onevenredig aan te tasten.
Unwanted tomatoes represent ~20% of the European market, meaning that ~3 million metric tons of tomatoes are wasted every year. On a national scale, this translates to 7000 tons of tomato waste every year. Considering the challenge that food spillage represents worldwide and that the Netherlands wants to be circular by 2050, it is important to find a way to circularize these tomatoes back into the food chain. Moreover, tomatoes are the largest greenhouse crop in the Netherlands, which means that reducing the waste of this crop will positively and significantly affect the circularity and sustainability of the Dutch food system. A way to bring these tomatoes back into the food chain is through fermentation with lactic acid bacteria (LAB), which are already used in many food applications. In this project, we will assemble a unique new mix (co-culture) of LAB bacteria, which will lead to a stable fermented product with low sugar, low pH and a fresh taste, without compromising its nutritional value. This fermentation will prevent the contamination of the product with other microorganisms, providing the product with a prolonged shelf life, and will have a positive impact on the health of the consumers. Up until now, only non-fermented products have been produced from rejected tomatoes. This solution allows for an in-between product that can be used towards many different applications. This process will be upscaled to pilot scale with our consortium partners HAN BioCentre, Keep Food Simple, LLTB and Kramer B.V. The aim is to optimize the process and taste the end result of the different fermentations, so the end product is an attractive, circular, and tasty fermented tomato paste. These results will help to advance the circularity and sustainability of our food system, both at a national and European level.
