Internal medicine

Pediatrics

Disease

Quality of life (healthcare)

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Infectious disease (medical specialty)

Pandemic

Clinical nutrition

Nursing

Intensive care medicine

Intensive care unit

Malnutrition

Medicine

Clinical Nutrition

The COVID-19 pandemics is posing unprecedented challenges and threats to patients and healthcare systems worldwide. Acute respiratory complications that require intensive care unit (ICU) management are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in COVID-19 patients. Patients with worst outcomes and higher mortality are reported to include immunocompromised subjects, namely older adults and polymorbid individuals and malnourished people in general. ICU stay, polymorbidity and older age are all commonly associated with high risk for malnutrition, representing per se a relevant risk factor for higher morbidity and mortality in chronic and acute disease.

ESPEN expert statements and practical guidance for nutritional management of individuals with SARS-CoV-2 infection