Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the association between nutritional status, laboratory parameters, and mortality among patients admitted to the palliative care unit (PCU) of the emergency department (ED). A total of 130 patients transferred from the ED to the PCU between March 2017 and June 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographic characteristics, nutritional patterns, laboratory values, and mortality data were evaluated.The length of stay was significantly longer among patients who were unable to receive oral nutrition (10.52±9.19 days vs. 6.04 ± 5.69 days; p0.05). The findings suggest that white blood cell count (WBC), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and albumin levels are potential predictors of mortality in this patient population. However, enteral/parenteral nutritional support did not significantly affect survival. The observed associations between inflammatory and nutritional parameters and mortality underscore the importance of individualized therapeutic strategies in palliative care settings.

Key words: Palliative care, nutritional status, mortality, emergency department, and malnutrition