Consequências do estado nutricional na for?a muscular respiratória de idosos hospitalizados assistidos pela fisioterapia

摘要

The nutritional status can affect the physiological needs, determining changes in lung function in elderly patients. Objective: To evaluate the effects of nutritional status in the respiratory muscle force in elderly subjects treated with physiotherapy. Methods: We studied 30 subjects over 60 years old hospitalized at the Hospital Santa Casa in Londrina by the Public Health System and divided into two groups: group 1 (G1) - patients until 12 hours of medical solicitation for physiotherapy attendance and group 2 (G2) – patients who did not have medical solicitation for physiotherapy. Respiratory muscle force and nutritional status were assessed. Immune competence was also evaluated. Results: Overweight prevailed in the two groups especially in G1 (p=0.0272). The elderly in G1 had lower values of respiratory muscle force (MIP 58 ± 26.4 % predicted and MEP 62 ± 21.1 % predicted). The most predominant diagnosis was chronic heart failure (40%) in the two groups, and in G1 was of 23.3% whereas in G2 16.7%. G1 presented a larger number of elderly with hemoglobin decrease and total leukocytes increase. Conclusion: There was no significant depletion in these elderly hospitalized subjects, but overweight instead. However, the decreased MIP and MEP in G1 increases the need for an early physical therapy intervention in hospitalized elderly patients in order to optimize their respiratory muscle force, preventing major pulmonary complications with consequent reduction in length of hospital stay and healthcare costs.