S3114 Effect of Nutritional Deficiencies on the Complication of Gastroparesis and Hospital Outcomes

Introduction: Gastroparesis (GP) is a debilitating motility disorder that can cause nutritional deficiencies, negatively affecting health outcomes. Despite this, assessing nutritional deficiencies in hospitalized GP patients is not routine. This study evaluates the prevalence of these deficiencies and their impact on hospital outcomes, including length of stay (LOS). Methods: Data from the National Inpatient Sample (2016-2020) (NIS) were analyzed. GP patients were stratified into diabetic gastroparesis (DG) and non-diabetic gastroparesis (NDG). Nutritional deficiencies (vitamin D, vitamin B12, and copper) and outcomes (gastroesophageal reflux disease [GERD] and LOS) were examined. Chi-square tests, descriptive analyses, and logistic regressions assessed the impact of deficiencies on outcomes. Results: A total of 263,710 patients were diagnosed with GP; 75% had DG, 25% had NDG. Among them, 33.35% had GERD, <1% were iron- or copper-deficient, <2% had vitamin B deficiencies, and <4% had vitamin D deficiencies. The mean age was 53, mean hospital charges $63,974, and mean LOS 6 days. DG patients with B12 or D deficiencies were more likely to have GERD than non-deficient patients. NDG patients with vitamin D deficiency also had increased GERD likelihood. DG patients with iron or D deficiencies had longer LOS (>6 days), while NDG patients with B12 deficiency alone were linked to increased LOS. Conclusion: Iron, vitamin B12, and vitamin D deficiencies are linked to GERD and/or increased LOS in GP patients. These findings align with Patel, et al (2023), who reported malnutrition in GP raised LOS risk. Similarly, Amjab, et al (2023) found GP patients had higher iron, B12, and D deficiency rates than the general population, but only 19.4% received a nutrition consult. These results suggest routine screening and supplementation of D, B12, and iron may reduce GERD complications and LOS. This study's retrospective design limits causal inference; using the NIS dataset may introduce coding variability. Future studies should explore whether supplementation reduces LOS and complications. Nutritional deficiencies significantly impact hospitalized GP patients, highlighting the need for routine screening and intervention to improve outcomes.