Nutritional management in inpatients with aspiration pneumonia: a cohort medical claims database study.

Abstract Background/Objectives This study aimed to describe real-world nutrition management patterns among inpatients hospitalized for aspiration pneumonia, using a medical claims database in Japan. Methods Patients aged ≥65 years hospitalized for aspiration pneumonia treatment were identified in a medical claims database between January 2013 and December 2018, to evaluate nutrition management initiation and adjustment timing, factors associated with >7-days nil by os (NPO) status, prescribed nutrition doses, and types of parenteral nutrition solutions. Patients were excluded who received oral intake or enteral nutrition on the day of admission (Day 1). Results The analysis population included 72,315 inpatients. The median (first quartile, third quartile) initiation date of oral nutrition intake was Day 4 (3, 7) and 65.1% of patients received oral nutrition intake by Day 7. Factors associated with >7-day NPO were sex, BMI, treatment years, Barthel Index score, Japan Coma Scale score and oxygen inhalation on the day of hospital admission. Amongst NPO patients on Day 7, only 5.3% were prescribed the recommended doses of ≥20 kcal/kg; 6.4% were prescribed ≥1.0 g/kg amino acids, and 5.7% were prescribed fat energy ratio at ≥15% of non-protein calories. Commonly prescribed parenteral nutrition solutions on Day 7 were carbohydrate/electrolyte solutions (52.8%) and peripheral parenteral nutrition solutions (49.0%). Conclusion Prescribed parenteral energy, amino acids, and fat during the NPO period were lower than the recommended doses in the majority of patients. Prescribing recommended doses of each of these component nutrients may be beneficial when managing parenteral nutrition of patients during NPO.