TY - JOUR

T1 - Risk of malnutrition upon admission and after discharge in acutely admitted older medical patients

T2 - A prospective observational study

AU - Andersen, Aino Leegaard

AU - Nielsen, Rikke Lundsgaard

AU - Houlind, Morten Baltzer

AU - Tavenier, Juliette

AU - Rasmussen, Line J.H.

AU - Jørgensen, Lillian Mørch

AU - Treldal, Charlotte

AU - Beck, Anne Marie

AU - Pedersen, Mette Merete

AU - Andersen, Ove

AU - Petersen, Janne

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - There is a lack of knowledge about malnutrition and risk of malnutrition upon admission and after discharge in older medical patients. This study aimed to describe prevalence, risk factors, and screening tools for malnutrition in older medical patients. In a prospective observational study, malnutrition was evaluated in 128 older medical patients (≥65 years) using the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002), the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) and the Eating Validation Scheme (EVS). The European Society of Clinical Nutrition (ESPEN) diagnostic criteria from 2015 were applied for diagnosis. Agreement between the screening tools was evaluated by kappa statistics. Risk factors for malnutrition included polypharmacy, dysphagia, depression, low functional capacity, eating-related problems and lowered cognitive function. Malnutrition or risk of malnutrition were prevalent at baseline (59–98%) and follow-up (30–88%). The baseline, follow-up and transitional agreements ranged from slight to moderate. NRS-2002 and MNA-SF yielded the highest agreement (kappa: 0.31 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.18–0.44) to 0.57 (95%CI 0.42–0.72)). Prevalence of risk factors ranged from 17–68%. Applying ESPEN 2015 diagnostic criteria, 15% had malnutrition at baseline and 13% at follow-up. In conclusion, malnutrition, risk of malnutrition and risk factors hereof are prevalent in older medical patients. MNA-SF and NRS-2002 showed the highest agreement at baseline, follow-up, and transitionally.

AB - There is a lack of knowledge about malnutrition and risk of malnutrition upon admission and after discharge in older medical patients. This study aimed to describe prevalence, risk factors, and screening tools for malnutrition in older medical patients. In a prospective observational study, malnutrition was evaluated in 128 older medical patients (≥65 years) using the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002), the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) and the Eating Validation Scheme (EVS). The European Society of Clinical Nutrition (ESPEN) diagnostic criteria from 2015 were applied for diagnosis. Agreement between the screening tools was evaluated by kappa statistics. Risk factors for malnutrition included polypharmacy, dysphagia, depression, low functional capacity, eating-related problems and lowered cognitive function. Malnutrition or risk of malnutrition were prevalent at baseline (59–98%) and follow-up (30–88%). The baseline, follow-up and transitional agreements ranged from slight to moderate. NRS-2002 and MNA-SF yielded the highest agreement (kappa: 0.31 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.18–0.44) to 0.57 (95%CI 0.42–0.72)). Prevalence of risk factors ranged from 17–68%. Applying ESPEN 2015 diagnostic criteria, 15% had malnutrition at baseline and 13% at follow-up. In conclusion, malnutrition, risk of malnutrition and risk factors hereof are prevalent in older medical patients. MNA-SF and NRS-2002 showed the highest agreement at baseline, follow-up, and transitionally.

KW - Emergency service

KW - Geriatrics

KW - Hospital

KW - Malnutrition

KW - Nutritional assessment

KW - Risk factors for malnutrition

U2 - 10.3390/nu13082757

DO - 10.3390/nu13082757

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 34444917

AN - SCOPUS:85112149545

VL - 13

JO - Nutrients

JF - Nutrients

SN - 2072-6643

IS - 8

M1 - 2757

ER -