The Economic Burden of Disease-Related Malnutrition Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Nationwide Study from Italy
Published in: Nutrimentum et Curae 2026; 05: e166
DOI: 10.57625/nec.2026.104 · June 19, 2026
Publications — June 19, 2026
The study quantifies the cost of hospitalizations for Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)—including Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis—in Italy, as well as the additional economic burden associated with disease-related malnutrition (DRM), using real-world data.
This retrospective analysis is based on national Hospital Discharge Summaries (SDO), including hospitalizations from 2015 to 2019 with a primary diagnosis of IBD. Between 2015 and 2019, 94,927 patients and 160,187 hospitalizations were identified, for a total cost of 560.8 million euros. Malnutrition was coded in only 2.4% of hospitalizations, but it is associated with a longer length of stay (14.9 versus 8.8 days) and higher costs (4,421 versus 3,478 euros).
In the longitudinal cohort (64,307 patients with a 12-month follow-up), malnutrition was associated with a longer cumulative hospital stay (30.7 vs. 16.4 days) and higher total costs at 12 months (10,877 vs. 6,804 euros). In-hospital mortality during the follow-up period was 6.3% among patients with malnutrition, compared with 4.5% among those without. Although rarely coded in administrative data, malnutrition therefore leads to a substantial increase in hospital stays and costs for the National Health Service: the systematic implementation of screening and nutritional management can help reduce both the clinical burden and hospital expenditures.
Authors:
- Matteo Scortichini — University of Rome Tor Vergata
- Flavio Caprioli — University of Milan / IRCCS Ca’ Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico Foundation, Milan
- Fabiana Castiglione — University of Naples Federico II / Federico II University Hospital, Naples
- Angela Variola — IRCCS Sacro Cuore Don Calabria, Negrar di Valpolicella, Verona
- Marco Daperno — A.O. Mauritian Order of Turin
- Davide Giuseppe Ribaldone — University of Turin / Turin City of Health and Science University Hospital
- Franco Scaldaferri — “A. Gemelli” University Polyclinic Foundation (IRCCS) / Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome
- Mauro Mastronardi — “S. De Bellis” National Institute of Gastroenterology, Castellana Grotte (BA)
- Emanuela Di Stefano — “Cannizzaro” Hospital, Catania
- GianMarco Mocci — ARNAS G. Brotzu, Cagliari
- Sara Ferri — Lionhealth Società Benefit, Milan
- Valentina Pagella — Lionhealth Società Benefit, Milan
- Paolo Sciattella — University of Rome Tor Vergata
