The Association Between Nutritional Status and Clinical Outcomes of COVID‐19 Patients in Intensive Care Unit in Vietnam: A Retrospective Study

ABSTRACT Aims This study aimed to assess the nutritional status of COVID‐19 patients within the first 24 h of Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission and to determine its association with the risk of mechanical ventilation and mortality. Methods This retrospective study analyzed electronic medical records from 342 COVID‐19 patients admitted to Hanoi Medical University Hospital, Vietnam, between September 2021 and April 2022. The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria were applied to assess the risk of malnutrition. Results According to the GLIM criteria, 77.8% of patients had moderate or severe malnutrition upon ICU admission. Compared with patients without malnutrition, those who were malnourished were significantly older (p < 0.001) and had lower BMI, hemoglobin, and red blood cell counts (p < 0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis identified several factors associated with respiratory therapy and mortality among ICU COVID‐19 patients, including age, vaccination status, nutritional status, and BMI. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, malnutrition remained a significant predictor of clinical outcomes. The risk of requiring mechanical ventilation and death were 3.55‐fold and 2.03‐fold higher, respectively, in malnourished patients. Conclusion The study revealed a high prevalence of malnutrition among ICU patients with COVID‐19. Furthermore, malnutrition was independently associated with an increased risk of mechanical ventilation and mortality. These findings underscored the importance of early nutritional screening and intervention as integral components of routine management for critically ill COVID‐19 patients.