• Christos E Lampropoulos, Maria Konsta, Vicky Dradaki, Afroditi Roumpou, Irini Dri, and Ioanna Papaioannou.
• Department of Internal Medicine, Argolidos General Hospital, Argos, Greece. Electronic address: christosnina@hotmail.com.
• Nutrition. 2020 Nov 1; 79-80: 110868.

ObjectivesThe Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) has been related to reduced overall mortality and improved disease outcome. The aim of this study was to estimate the effects of the MedDiet on hospital length of stay (LOS), financial cost, and mortality (from hospitalization up to 24 mo afterward) in hospitalized patients >65 y of age.MethodsParticipating in this observational study were 183 patients >65 y of age, who were urgently admitted for any cause to the Internal Medicine Department of Argolidos General Hospital. Hospital LOS and its financial cost, mortality (during hospitalization, 6 and 24 mo after discharge), physical activity, and medical and anthropometric data were recorded and correlated with the level of adherence to the MedDiet (MedDiet score).ResultsIn multivariate analyses, hospital LOS decreased by 0.3 d for each unit increase of MedDiet score (P < 0.0001), 2.1 d for each 1 g/dL increase of albumin (P = 0.001) and increased 0.1 d for each day of previous admissions (P < 0.0001). Extended hospitalization (P < 0.0001) and its interaction with MedDiet score (P = 0.01) remained the significantly associated variables for financial cost. Mortality risk increased 3% per each year increase of age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.03; P = 0.02) and 6% for each previous admission (HR, 1.06; P = 0.04); whereas it decreased 13% per each unit increase of MedDiet score (HR, 0.87; P < 0.0001).ConclusionAdoption of the MedDiet decreases duration of admission and long-term mortality in hospitalized patients >65 y of age, with parallel reduction of relevant financial costs.Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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