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Observational Study
. 2021 Aug 11;13(8):2757.
doi: 10.3390/nu13082757.

Risk of Malnutrition upon Admission and after Discharge in Acutely Admitted Older Medical Patients: A Prospective Observational Study

Aino Leegaard Andersen  1   2 , Rikke Lundsgaard Nielsen  1   2 , Morten Baltzer Houlind  1   3   4 , Juliette Tavenier  1 , Line J H Rasmussen  1   5 , Lillian Mørch Jørgensen  1   6 , Charlotte Treldal  1   3   4 , Anne Marie Beck  7   8 , Mette Merete Pedersen  1   2 , Ove Andersen  1   2   6 , Janne Petersen  1   9   10
Affiliations
Observational Study

Risk of Malnutrition upon Admission and after Discharge in Acutely Admitted Older Medical Patients: A Prospective Observational Study

Aino Leegaard Andersen et al. Nutrients. .

Abstract

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.

Keywords: emergency service; geriatrics; hospital; malnutrition; nutritional assessment; risk factors for malnutrition.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart. * Patients can have more than one reason for exclusion.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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