Nutritional Support in Hospitalized Patients (COCONUT)

June 3, 2026 updated by: Michele Barone, University of Bari

Nutrition Day: Prevalenza Della Nutrizione Artificiale Nei Pazienti Ospedalizzati e Appropriatezza Prescrittiva a Supporto Della Valutazione Dei Costi e Della Programmazione Dei Consumi.

To evaluate the prevalence of hospitalized patients who receive artificial nutrition, the type of patients who resort to artificial nutrition, the appropriateness of the latter in terms of specificity with respect to the clinical condition, and the adequacy of the caloric-protein intake provided to the patient.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Detailed Description

Despite detailed recommendations provided by international scientific societies, numerous studies highlight substantial variability and deficiencies in clinical practice, notably delays in initiating artificial nutrition (AN), inadequate caloric and protein dosing, and disparities in treatment across patient groups. Unfortunately, applying the general recommendations to nutritional therapy for polymorbid patients is particularly challenging for healthcare providers without specific nutrition training, as disease-specific quantitative and qualitative nutritional requirements must be considered. In this report, we present results obtained from data collected on hospitalized patients undergoing AN across 35 medical and surgical wards and the intensive care unit of a university hospital in Southern Italy. In all these cases, the decisions regarding the type (enteral/parenteral) and the intensity (calories/proteins) of the nutritional interventions observed were made by the physicians working on the wards. This study describes the application of AN in real-world hospital settings, identifying the main critical issues and suggesting possible interventions to improve clinical practice.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
578

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Italy
    • BA
      • Bari, BA, Italy, 70124
        • Polyclinic University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

This observational, cross-sectional study evaluated the prevalence of patients receiving artificial nutrition and the appropriateness of this treatment at the Bari Polyclinic University Hospital. All patients were allocated to 35 different medical and surgical wards or the intensive care unit (ICU).

Description

Inclusion Criteria: Hospitalized patients receiving artificial nutrition -

Exclusion Criteria: Patients on normal oral feeding.

-

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Prevalence of patients receiving artificial nutrition during their hospitalization.
Time Frame: Baseline evaluation was performed for all patients on the same day, which corresponded to a variable time from the beginning of hospitalization.
Among the 578 hospitalized patients, 56 (9.7%; 30 males, 26 females), with a mean age of 67.1 ± 11.6 years, were receiving artificial nutrition (AN). The modalities of AN administration were as follows: total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in 39 patients, enteral nutrition (EN) in 16 patients, and EN plus supplemental parenteral nutrition (SPN) in 1 patient.
Baseline evaluation was performed for all patients on the same day, which corresponded to a variable time from the beginning of hospitalization.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Evaluation of the total amount of calories received
Time Frame: Baseline evaluation was performed for all patients on the same day, which corresponded to a variable time from the beginning of hospitalization.
The total caloric intake received by each patient was calculated based on the characteristics of nutritional parenteral and enteral products and the duration of their infusion. The appropriateness of the caloric intake was calculated using the most accurate prediction formula suggested for a specific body mass index (BMI) range.
Baseline evaluation was performed for all patients on the same day, which corresponded to a variable time from the beginning of hospitalization.

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Protein intake/kg of body weight
Time Frame: Baseline evaluation was performed for all patients on the same day, which corresponded to a variable time from the beginning of hospitalization.
Patients admitted to the intensive care unit were fed by enteral nutrition and received only 0.41 ± 0.15 g/kg b.w. Patients receiving parenteral nutrition had a protein intake ranging from 0.55 ± 0.15 to 0.70 ± 0.17 g/kg of body weight.
Baseline evaluation was performed for all patients on the same day, which corresponded to a variable time from the beginning of hospitalization.
The median time elapsed between hospital admission and the initiation of artificial nutrition (AN).
Time Frame: This evaluation was performed at baseline
The median time to initiate AN following hospital admission was 3 days (IQR 0-13.5 days). In detail, ICU patients received AN after 1 day (IQR 0-2), whereas patients in other wards received saline solutions with or without glucose for 5 days (IQR 0-16) after admission before commencing AN.
This evaluation was performed at baseline

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Bari

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Study Chair: Michele Barone, University of Bari

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
June 10, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
June 12, 2024

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 12, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 28, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 26, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 2, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 5, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 3, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2024

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • Policlinico Bari 1698

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

The study was already completed, and all the data will be published.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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