Enteral tube feeding and mortality in hospitalized older patients: A multicenter longitudinal study

Background & aims: The literature regarding enteral nutrition and mortality in older frail people is limited and still conflicting. Moreover, the potential role of comprehensive geriatric assessment is poorly explored. We therefore aimed to investigate whether the Multidimensional Prognostic Index (MPI), an established tool that assesses measures of frailty and predicts mortality, may help physicians in identifying patients in whom ETF (enteral tube feeding) is effective in terms of reduced mortality. Methods: Observational, longitudinal, multicenter study with one year of follow-up. Data regarding ETF were recorded through medical records. A standardized comprehensive geriatric assessm…