Yasemin POLAT, Kezban AKÇAY, Nilgün DOĞANCI, Fatma TAMER, Nuran ERTEN, Şermin ATAÇ, Burcu Kelleci ÇAKIR, Mert EŞME, Kutay DEMİRKAN, Meltem Gülhan HALİL
European Journal of Geriatrics and Gerontology - 2026;8(2):115-122
Objective: The aim of this study was to compare the frequency of refeeding syndrome (RS) in achieving nutritional goals in patients planned to receive enteral nutrition (EN) or parenteral nutrition (PN) treatment, and to compare outcomes between patients aged older and younger than 60 years. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included patients who received EN or PN and were followed up at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Adult Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024. Patients were grouped as achieving >=70% or <70% of the target in clinical nutrition therapy (NT). A serum phosphorus level <2.5 mg/dL was considered RS. Results: A total of 723 patients were evaluated, comprising 350 (48.4%) females and 373 (51.6%) males, with a median (interquartile range) age of 62.3 (17.0) years. Based on the rate of goal attainment, 432 patients (59.7%) achieved <70% of the target in clinical NT. RS was significantly more frequent in patients who achieved >=70% of the target (p = 0.035). In the EN group, RS was more common among patients who met >=70% of the target (p = 0.023). The multivariate regression analysis results showed that after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, length of hospital stay and type of NT, achieving >=70% of the target increased the risk of developing RS (odds ratio :1.86, 95% confidence interval: 1.051-3.316, p = 0.03). Conclusion: The higher risk of RS in patients who achieve the target in clinical nutrition, especially among those receiving EN, appears to be a barrier. While caloric goals are being achieved, patients receiving clinical NT should be monitored with respect to RS.
