Malnutrition affect clinical outcomes in hospitalized old age patients, but the data on the related outcomes on the basis of different age categories are still limited. We aimed to investigate the interplay of associations among body mass index (BMI), falls risk, and mortality rate in different older adult patient age categories. This retrospective study included hospitalized patients aged ≥ 65 years who received artificial nutrition. Demographic, biochemical, and survival data were collected. BMI was evaluated using the World Health Organization BMI cutoffs for Asians, and patients were classified into high (≥ 23.0 kg/m2), normal (18.5−22.9 kg/m2), and low (< 18.5 kg/m2) BMI groups. The Morse Fall Scale was used to assess falls risk. By age categories, all patients (n = 4,642) were divided into the 65−74 (n = 2,649) and ≥ 75 (n = 1,993) years age groups. We found that the proportion of low-BMI and high risk of falls increased with age. Further, low-BMI was associated with increased falls risk in both age groups. Overall survival rate tended to be lower in the low-BMI and ≥ 75 years group than that in other patient groups, but did not differ significantly compared with the low-BMI and 65–74 years group. Low-BMI was associated with increased falls risk and mortality; however, the association depended on specific patient age groups.
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Malnutrition is a common problem in patients with end-stage liver disease requiring liver transplantation. The aim of this study was to evaluate nutritional status by using nutritional screening tools [Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) 2002, Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA)] in patients before and after liver transplantation. We analyzed medical record, blood test, nutrient intake and malnutrition rate just before transplantation and at discharge, and at 3, 6, 12 months after transplantation respectively. Initially 33 patients enrolled as study subjects and finally 28 patients completed the study. Nutrients intake such as energy, fiber, calcium, potassium, vitamin C, and folate were insufficient at 12 months after transplantation. The rates of malnutrition before transplantation were very high, reported at 81.8% for the NRS 2002, 87.9% for the MUST, and 84.8% for the SGA. By 12 months after operation, malnutrition rates reported at NRS, MUST and SGA had decreased to 6.1%, 10.7%, and 10.7%, respectively. Sensitivity was 87.1% for the NRS 2002, 82.0% for the MUST, and 92.0% for the SGA. Of these screening tools the SGA was the highest sensitive tool that predict the risk of mortality in malnutrition patients who received transplantation. Further studies on nutritional status of patients and proper tools for nutrition intervention are needed to provide adequate nutritional care for patients.
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This retrospective study was conducted to determine whether increased length of hospital stay (LOS) and mortality are associated with nutritional risk upon hospital admission in gastrointestinal cancer patients, using a computerized screening tool developed by a university hospital. We included adult gastrointestinal cancer patients whose hospital stays ranged from 24 hours to 90 days. The sample included 4,345 patients. The average age of the patients was 60.5 ± 11.4 years and 2,959 (68.1%) were males. The mean of LOS was 8.2 ± 8.2 days and the mortality rate was 3.4% (n = 146). The majority of the patients were at low risk (LG) (n = 3,102 [71.4%]), while 779 patients (17.9%) were at moderate risk (MG), and 464 (10.7%) were at high risk (HG). In comparing the three groups based on nutritional risk, hospital LOS was significantly longer in the HG (11.4 ± 11.4 days) than it was in the LG (7.7 ± 7.9 days) and the MG (7.9 ± 7.9 days) (p < 0.0001). Significant differences were found in the hospital mortality rate, which was the highest in the HG (13.6%) and the lowest in the LG (1.5%) (p < 0.0001). In the multiple logistic regression analysis, moderate-to-severe nutritional risk, increased age, and emergency admission were selected as significant variables for increased LOS and mortality. Further research is needed to evaluate the benefits of nutritional screening and intervention and their effect on outcomes in various disease populations.
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