The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) review of the literature--What does it tell us?

To review the literature on the MNA to Spring 2006, we searched MEDLINE, Web of Science and Scopus, and did a manual search in J Nutr Health Aging, Clin Nutr, Eur J Clin Nutr and free online available publications. VALIDATION AND VALIDITY: The MNA was validated against two principal criteria, clinical status and comprehensive nutrition assessment using principal component and discriminant analysis. The MNA shortform (MNA-SF) was developed and validated to allow a 2-step screening process. The MNA and MNA-SF are sensitive, specific, and accurate in identifying nutrition risk. NUTRITIONAL SCREENING: The prevalence of malnutrition in community-dwelling elderly (21 studies, n = 14149 elderly) is 2 +/- 0.1% (mean +/- SE, range 0- 8%) and risk of malnutrition is 24 +/- 0.4% (range 8-76%). A similar pattern is seen in out-patient and home care elderly (25 studies, n = 3119 elderly) with prevalence of undernutrition 9 +/- 0.5% (mean +/- SE, range 0-30%) and risk of malnutrition 45 +/- 0.9% (range 8-65%). A high prevalence of undernutrition has been reported in hospitalized and institutionalized elderly patients: prevalence of malnutrition is 23 +/- 0.5% (mean +/- SE, range 1- 74%) in hospitals (35 studies, n = 8596) and 21 +/- 0.5% (mean +/- SE, range 5-71%) in institutions (32 studies, n = 6821 elderly). An even higher prevalence of risk of malnutrition was observed in the same populations, with 46 +/- 0.5% (range 8-63%) and 51 +/- 0.6% (range 27-70%), respectively. In cognitively impaired elderly subjects (10 studies, n = 2051 elderly subjects), detection using the MNA, prevalence of malnutrition was 15 +/- 0.8% (mean +/- SE, range 0-62%), and 44 +/- 1.1% (range 19-87%) of risk of malnutrition. CHARACTERISTICS: The large variability is due to differences in level of dependence and health status among the elderly. In hospital settings, a low MNA score is associated with an increase in mortality, prolonged length of stay and greater likelihood of discharge to nursing homes. Malnutrition is associated with functional and cognitive impairment and difficulties eating. The MNA(R) detects risk of malnutrition before severe change in weight or serum proteins occurs. NUTRITIONAL INTERVENTION: Intervention studies demonstrate that timely intervention can stop weight loss in elderly at risk of malnutrition or undernourished and is associated with improvements in MNA scores. The MNA can also be used as a follow up assessment tool. CONCLUSION: The MNA is a screening and assessment tool with a reliable scale and clearly defined thresholds, usable by health care professionals. It should be included in the geriatric assessment and is proposed in the minimum data set for nutritional interventions.     

Which are the most efficient items of mini nutritional assessment in multimorbid patients?

Objective: The aim of the study was to identify the most significant MNA-items to accelerate the determination of nutritional risk of elderly patients in routine clinical practice in a geriatric hospital. Since MNA requires 10–15 min it is hardly applicable to clinical routine.Design: The study was a cross-sectional study. Setting: The study centre was an acute geriatric hospital. Participants: In total 808 multimorbid elderly patients were recruited. Methods: We applied the MNA in 808 (528f/280m) geriatric multimorbid patients (78.5 ± 8.7f / 74.6 ± 9m yrs) without cognitive impairment 48h after hospital admission. Admission diagnoses covered orthopaedical (40%), internal (34%) and cerebrovascular (24%) diseases. According to analysis of reliability the consistency of the MNA scale for multimorbid patients has been verified. In preparation for scale reduction a factor analysis was applied. A reduced scale with selected cutoffs was configured and compared with MNA.Results: According to MNA, 15% of patients were well-nourished, 65% at risk of malnutrition and 20% were malnourished. The reliability analyses showed a Cronbach’s Alpha of 0.60 that represented a satisfactory result. By means of factor analysis the MNA-items were reduced from 18 to 7 items (weight loss, mobility, BMI, number of full meals, fluid consumption, mode of feeding, health status), with new cutoffs (12.5–15 well-nourished, 9–12 at risk of malnutrition, <9 malnourished). According to the modified MNA (m-MNA) 21.7% of the patients were well-nourished, 54.5% at risk of malnutrition and 21.7% were malnourished. The score of the MNA and m-MNA correlated with r=0.910. Furthermore, there was a strong correlation between MNA and m-MNA group classification of 83%.Conclusion: The m-MNA enables a rapid (3min) and efficient screening of malnutrition in multimorbid geriatric patients. The m-MNA is easy to apply and may also be suitable in multimorbid patients with cognitive dysfunction. Due to the variety of items the m-MNA seems to be superior to other screening tools.     

Poor nutritional habits are predictors of poor outcome in very old hospitalized patients

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is prevalent in elderly populations. Recommended methods of nutritional screening are often too complicated and time-consuming for routine application in frail, very old, hospitalized patients. OBJECTIVE: Our aims were to identify risk factors for development of malnutrition in very old hospitalized patients and to evaluate the total Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score and MNA subscores as predictors of in-hospital and long-term mortality. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study of patients aged > or =75 y was conducted in a geriatric hospital. Assessment included demographic, clinical, and laboratory data and cognitive, functional, and nutritional status. Follow-up was conducted for < or =2.7 y. RESULTS: Of the 414 patients studied, only 73 (17.6%) were well-nourished. Low serum albumin and phosphorus concentrations, dementia, and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) were significant risk factors for malnutrition. Survival was significantly lower in malnourished patients and patients at risk of malnutrition than in well-nourished patients (P < 0.0001). Low MNA-3 subscores (dietary habits) were significantly correlated with laboratory indexes of malnutrition and were significantly lower in patients with infections, malignancy, pressure ulcers, dementia, recent orthopedic surgery, and CVA. Multivariate analysis showed that a low MNA-3 score was an independent predictor of mortality; scores <7.5 increased the risk of death 2.05-fold. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of malnutrition was high in elderly hospitalized patients. Dietary habits were significant predictors of poor hospitalization outcome. A questionnaire on dietary habits can serve as a useful tool in assessing nutritional status and prognosis in elderly patients.     

Mini Nutritional Assessment in elderly subjects receiving home nursing care

Background: Old age and disease are risk factors for malnutrition. We assessed the nutritional status in elderly receiving home nursing care. Methods: Eighty people (86% women) over the ages of 70 years (mean±SD 84±6) were investigated. One-third had lung and/or cardiovascular disease, 10% had diabetes mellitus and the remainder had miscellaneous disorders. The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scale (0–30 points), consisting of 18 point-weighted questions, including anthropometry, e.g. body mass index (BMI, kg m^?2), was used. Results: Fifty patients (62%) were assessed as having suspected malnutrition (MNA 17–23.5 points), while two were assessed as being malnourished (MNA < 17 points). The mean BMI was 22.7±5. One third of the subjects had BMI values <20 and 64% had BMI ≤ 23. Patients with cardiac failure and/or lung disease had the lowest MNA values (20.9±3.3 points) and 85% of these patients were assessed as being at risk for malnourishment. More than half drank ≤1 L of fluid per day. Over half of those who were malnourished or were suspected to be malnourished did not have meal support, whereas almost half of the well-nourished patients had meal support. Conclusion: Two-thirds of the patients receiving home nursing care were assessed as having suspected or confirmed malnutrition, or were underweight. Nutritional routines may need more focus within home nursing care services.     

Evaluation of Mini-Nutritional Assessment for Japanese frail elderly

OBJECTIVE: We evaluated the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) test and the short-form MNA as screening tools for malnutrition in the Japanese elderly population. METHODS: A cross-sectional study of 226 elderly Japanese patients (78.6 +/- 0.5 y of age, mean +/- standard deviation; 67 men and 159 women) in various settings was carried out. Nutritional assessment included MNA, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical markers. RESULTS: According to the original cutoff point of the full MNA, 19.9% of those assessed were malnourished, 58.0% were at risk of malnutrition, and 22.1% were well nourished. Significant correlations were found between full MNA scores and age (r = -0.14), body mass index (r = 0.59), serum albumin (r = 0.60), total cholesterol (r = 0.36), midarm circumference (r = 0.50), and triceps skinfold (r = 0.37). The sensitivity and specificity of the full MNA score (< 17) for hypoalbuminemia were 0.810 and 0.860, respectively. With a cutoff point lower than 18, sensitivity and specificity hypoalbuminemia were 0.857 and 0.815, respectively. Using a short-form MNA score 12 and higher as normal, its sensitivity and specificity for predicting undernutrition were 0.859 and 0.840, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The full and short forms of the MNA were useful tools to identify elderly Japanese patients with malnutrition or risk of malnutrition. However, the full MNA cutoff point for malnutrition should be modulated for this population.     

A longitudinal study of hospital undernutrition in the elderly: Comparison of four validated methods

Background  Undernutrition/nutritional risk were evaluated longitudinally in 531 hospitalized elderly by four validated methods to appraise the most feasible for routine use. Design  Within 48hrs of admission&24hrs before discharge: the following data were collected: clinical data, nutritional status (BMI, %weight loss) & risk (MNA, MUST), energy requirements (Owen et al), diet. Results  Significant changes from admission to discharge in risk/undernutrition prevalence, were not shown by BMI (≈17% vs 22%), ≥5% weight loss (≈53% vs ≈56%) or MNA 83% vs ≈81%; at admission, 93% patients were MUST high risk declining to ≈47% (p=0.001) at discharge, alongside eating resumption. By multivariate analysis comparing all methods&differences between patient groups during hospitalization, only %weight loss clarified nutritional progression: more surgical patients had ≥10% weight loss vs medicine, p<0.01. Only admission ≥5% weight loss was predictive of longer hospitalizations (OR:1.57; 95% CI 1.02–2.40; p<0.003), though MNA&MUST undernourished/high risk had significantly longer stays. MNA and MUST were the most concordant methods, p<0.001. Eating compromising symptoms were prevalent in surgery/medicine with ≥5% weight loss, MNA risk/undernutrition, and MUST high risk, p<0.005. Overall, mean energy requirements/diet were not significantly different between admission/discharge: requirements ≈1400kcal were always lower than on offer ≈2128kcal, p=0.0001. Conclusions  Rigid diets create costly waste which do not counteract nutritional deterioration. Different nutritional risk/status prevalences were unveiled at admission&discharge: >50% patients were at risk/undernourished by significant weight loss, MNA or MUST, all associated with longer stays. Recent weight loss is unarguably essential, comprehensive MNA & MUST similarly reliable; in this study dynamic MUST seemed easier to practise. Quality nutritional care before/during/after hospitalization is mandatory in the elderly.     

Preoperative nutritional evaluation of elderly patients: the Mini Nutritional Assessment as a practical tool

BACKGROUND AND GOAL: Age and malnutrition are each surgical risk factors. Because the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) has been specifically designed for assessing the nutritional status of elderly patients, it can be used for preoperative nutritional evaluation. Therefore, the MNA was included in the preoperative clinical evaluation of patients over 60 years of age to describe their nutritional status. METHODS: Every patient over 60 years of age, scheduled for elective surgery, was seen in anaesthesiology consultation and was submitted to the MNA. The MNA is a clinical score consisting of four additive items: 'Anthropometric assessment' based on BMI, mid-arm and calf circumferences, weight loss; global evaluation; dietetic assessment, and subjective assessment - these last three items being obtained through a specific questionnaire. It requires no biological marker. Awarding to the obtained score, the MNA stratifies patients in the following categories: well-nourished (24 相似文献   

Prevalence of undernutrition in elderly patients hospitalized in a geriatric unit in Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil

OBJECTIVES: We evaluated, from anthropometric and biochemical indicators, the prevalence of undernutrition within an elderly population hospitalized in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil, and identified social demographic, clinical and biochemical factors associated with undernutrition. METHODS: A transverse sectional study involving 197 elderly patients was conducted. Anthropometric data were obtained from subjects directly or indirectly; clinical characteristics, including health problems, functional and cognitive abilities, and use of medication, were gathered from medical records; social demographic information was acquired by interviewing the subject or carer. Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with undernutrition. RESULTS: According to the body mass index cutoff points recommended by the World Health Organization, 29.7% of subjects were classified as undernourished and 43.8% as eutrophic. Application of the Nutrition Screening Initiative system gave rise to an inverse situation in which 54.7% of subjects were considered undernourished and only 29.2% were eutrophic. Statistical analysis of the studied variables showed that calf circumference < or =31 cm was significantly associated with undernutrition (P < 0.0001) irrespective of the classification system employed, and may thus be considered a strong marker for undernutrition. In contrast, total serum cholesterol level > or =4.14 mmol/L was identified as a protective factor against undernutrition (P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of undernutrition among the hospitalized elderly in Brazil is very high. The measurement of calf circumference is a non-invasive and economical approach that can facilitate evaluation of the nutritional status of elderly individuals.     

Population-specific anthropometric cutoff standards improve the functionality of the Mini Nutritional Assessment without BMI in institutionalized elderly in Taiwan

Objective: To assess the nutritional status of institutionalized Taiwanese elderly with the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) without BMI and to determine whether the application of population-specific MAC and CC cutoff standards would improve the functionality of the tool.Design: Purposive sampling.Setting: A long-term care facility in central Taiwan.Participants: Two hundred and eight >65 y residents who were free of acute infection/diseases and were able to communicate.Measurements: A questionnaire survey to elicit personal data and administer the MNA and measurements of anthropometric and blood biochemical indicators.Results: The MNA, without BMI, predicted 22.1% of participants malnourished and 61.1% at risk of malnutrition among residents of a long-term care facility in Taiwan. Replacing the population-specific cutoff standards of MAC and CC for the original cutoff standards in the MNA and increasing the weighted score of MAC and CC to replace for the weighted score of BMI preserved and improved the predicting ability of the MNA. The improvement was evidenced by the increase in the correlationships between the MNA scores and the anthropometric, biochemical or health status indicators.Conclusion: The MNA predicted nutritional risk status of the institutionalized elderly Taiwanese. The study suggests that whenever possible population-specific anthropometric cutoff standards should be applied to improve the functionality of the MNA. It also appears possible to preserve or even improve the functionality of the MNA without BMI. The modifications indicate an improvement in the application of the MNA in long-term care patients.     

老年人高血压、抑郁与认知功能减退的相关性研究

目的分析老年人高血压、抑郁患者认知功能状况及其相关性。方法共收集207例患者,分为单纯高血压组、单纯抑郁组、高血压合并抑郁组和正常对照组。采用简易精神状况检查表（MMSE）进行认知功能检查,采用汉密顿抑郁量表（HAMD）进行抑郁程度的评定,并收集相关资料。结果抑郁老人中独居比例较大。与正常对照组比较,单纯高血压组的注意力和计算力明显下降（P〈0．01）,单纯抑郁组的MMSE总分、定向力、注意力和计算力、语言能力明显下降（P〈0．05）;与单纯高血压组比较,高血压合并抑郁组的MMSE总分、定向力、回忆力、语言能力明显降低（P〈0．05）;与单纯抑郁组比较,高血压合并抑郁组的注意力和计算力明显降低（P〈0．05）。抑郁患者的MMSE得分与HAMD得分呈负相关（r=一0．706,P〈0．01）。Logistic回归结果显示抑郁及高血压合并抑郁均为认知功能减退的影响因素（P〈0．01）。结论老年人高血压和抑郁均会引起认知功能的减退,高血压合并抑郁者认知功能减退更为严重,抑郁的严重程度与认知功能减退有关。有效的控制高龄老人的血压和抑郁状态,可能有助于降低其认知功能减退发生的危险。     

Full Mini Nutritional Assessment and Prognosis in Elderly Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Objective: Malnutrition is observed frequently in elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). Full Mini Nutritional Assessment (full MNA) is a useful method of measuring nutrition status for elderly person. The objective of this study is to examine the relationship between full MNA and the mortality of elderly patients with pulmonary TB.

Methods: We evaluated 53 elderly patients with pulmonary TB. The nutrition risk assessment was carried out using full MNA.

Results: A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was generated for further analysis of the prognostic value of full MNA score. The area under the curve was 0.856 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.751–0.961). We used the maximum Youden index to obtain optimal cutoff values for full MNA score for prognostic assessment in elderly patients with pulmonary TB. For predicting the risk of mortality, the optimal cutoff value for full MNA score was 13.75. Based on this cutoff value, the Cox proportional hazard model was applied to assess the ability of full MNA score < 14 to predict the prognosis of elderly patients with pulmonary TB. Multivariate analysis identified age (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.114, 95% CI, 1.018–1.219, p = 0.019) and full MNA score < 14 (HR = 9.038, 95% CI, 1.064–76.768, p = 0.044) to be significant independent prognostic factors for survival.

Conclusion: Severe malnutrition, as defined by full MNA score < 14, was a predictor of high mortality.     

利用简易营养评价法调查住院老年人的营养状况

目的 利用简易营养评价法(MNA)评价住院老年人的营养状况，了解MNA与传统营养指标的相关性。方法 利用MNA量表对144名住院老年人进行调查，同时收集人体测量指标、生化指标和其他资料。结果 住院老年人营养不良的患病率为36．1％，潜在营养不良为46．5％，营养正常占17．4％；年龄、牙齿状况和疾病状态是影响老年人营养的重要因素；MNA与多数传统营养指标之间有良好相关性。结论 住院老年人营养不良的患病率高，MNA是一种可靠、快捷、简便的老年人营养状况评价方法。     

A six months' prospective follow-up of 65+-y-old patients from general practice classified according to nutritional risk by the Mini Nutritional Assessment

OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of old people at risk of undernutrition according to the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), characterise the at risk group with regard to nutritional state, energy intake, and physical and mental functioning, and to assess the consequences of the MNA score over a 6 month period. DESIGN: A cross-sectional prospective study. SETTING: The clinic of a general practitioner. SUBJECTS: Ninety-four patients 65+-y-old with no acute illness contacted at the clinic. Sixty-one subjects (65%) agreed to participate at baseline and 34 (56%) showed up at the follow-up 6 months later. RESULTS: At baseline, 23 (38%) participants were assessed as being at risk of undernutrition (17-23.5 MNA points). The remaining were classified as well-nourished (>23.5 MNA points). The 23 participants at risk had a higher prevalence of body mass index (BMI) <20 kg/m(2) (44 vs 11%, P<0.001) and insufficient energy intake (36 vs 9%, P<0.05), compared with the well-nourished group. Also, they had a higher need of meals-on-wheels (39 vs 8%, P<0.01) and home-care for shopping (48 vs 18%, P<0.05) at baseline. At the 6 months' follow-up, there was a tendency to a higher non-participation rate among the participants assessed at risk of undernutrition at baseline (44 vs 18%, 0.05相似文献   

Total serum homocysteine levels do not identify cognitive dysfunction in multimorbid elderly patients

Objectives: Total blood homocysteine (Hcys) and folate levels have been investigated in association with cognitive dysfunction in healthy but not in multimorbid elderly patients. We hypothesized that total serum Hcys is an adequate marker to identify multimorbid elderly patients with cognitive dysfunction assessed by the Short Cognitive Performance Test (SKT) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE).Design: Cross-sectional study.Setting: The study center was an acute geriatric hospital.Participants: A total of 189 multimorbid elderly patients were recruited.Methods: Cognitive dysfunction was determined according to the SKT and MMSE. Biochemical parameters (Hcys, folate, vitamin B12, hemoglobin), nutritional status (BMI, Mini Nutritional Assessment, nutritional intake), and activities of daily living were assessed.Results: According to the SKT, 25.4% of patients showed no cerebral cognitive dysfunction, 21.2% had suspected incipient cognitive dysfunction, 12.7% showed mild cognitive dysfunction, 9.0% had moderate cognitive dysfunction, and 31.7% of patients were demented. The median plasma Hcys value was elevated by ≈20% in multimorbid elderly patients, independent of cognitive dysfunction. Serum folate and vitamin B12 concentrations were within normal ranges. We did not find significant differences in nutritional status, activities of daily living, numbers of diseases or medications, or selected biochemical parameters between the SKT groups.Conclusion: Elevated serum Hcys levels with normal plasma folate and vitamin B12 concentrations were observed in multimorbid elderly patients. The plasma Hcys level did not appear to be an important biological risk factor for cognitive dysfunction in multimorbid geriatric patients.     

Different components of nutritional status in older inpatients with cognitive impairment

Objectives

To evaluate different components of nutritional status in older patients with cognitive deficit, particularly in those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI).

Design

Cross-sectional study.

Setting and participants

560 elderly subjects aged ?? 65 years consecutively admitted to an acute Geriatric Unit of Apulia region of southern Italy.

Measurements

A standardized comprehensive geriatric assessment was used to evaluate medical, cognitive, affective and social aspects. Nutritional status was assessed using the mini nutritional assessment (MNA). The cognitive function was categorized into three levels ?? MCI, dementia or normal cognition (NoCI) ?? according to the neuropsychological test score.

Results

Subjects with cognitive decline had significantly lower frequency of well-nourished (MCI=10%, dementia=8%, NoCI=22%, p<0.05) and higher frequency of malnourished (MCI=47%, dementia=62%, NoCI=19%, p<0.001) than patients with normal cognition. Similarly, MNA total score, MNA-3 and MNA-4 subscores were significantly lower in patients with MCI and dementia than patients with normal cognition (p<0.001).

Conclusions

These results suggest that cognitive decline may be associated with malnutrition in this sample of hospitalized older patients. Dietary habits (MNA-3) and subjective assessment of self-perceived quality of health and nutrition (MNA-4) are particularly poor also in patients with MCI and could be. very important variables to be considered in the multidimensional evaluation of subjects with cognitive impairment.     

Dependence of the geriatric depression scores on age, nutritional status, and haematologic variables in elderly institutionalized patients

Objective  To evaluate the relationships between depression and ageing, nutrition, and selected haematologic variables. Measurements   A cross-sectional study was performed in elderly institutionalized patients (n=100) of all nursing homes in the Brazilian city of Uberlandia, with determination of the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS) and the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scores, and selected haematologic variables. Results  GDS had a significant negative dependence with the MNA for the entire institutionalized population. The prevalence of depression was higher among females, but significant correlations existed between GDS scores and erythrocytes counts, haemoglobin levels, or haematocrit values for the males only. However, a borderline correlation existed between GDS and the mean corpuscular volume (MCV) values in the females. Conclusions  Depression was associated with worsening of nutritional status and the degree of anemia of the entire elderly population and the male, but not the female subjects. The borderline correlation observed between the GDS and MCV for the female subjects suggests that the nutritional deficiencies responsible for the MCV increase are a cause, and not an effect, of depression.     

Predictors of Nutritional Risk According to NRS-2002 and Calf Circumference in Hospitalized Older Adults with Neoplasms

Objectives: To investigate nutritional markers that better predict nutritional risk according to the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002), to verify agreement between indicators, and to identify the calf circumference cut-off point for diagnosing nutritional risk.

Methods: Cross-sectional study with older patients hospitalized for neoplasms. The nutritional risk was assessed by NRS-2002 and the nutritional status by Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA long form), calf circumference (CC), and body mass index (BMI). Statistical analyses included the chi-square and Mann–Whitney tests, Kappa coefficient, univariate and multiple logistic regression analyses to analyze the risk factors, and the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve to determine the cut-off point.

Results: The NRS-2002 and MNA had good agreement (k = 0.5281), but the NRS-2002 did not agree with the other nutritional indicators. According to regression analysis, the predictors of nutritional risk were the MNA (p = 0.0010, OR = 28.270); BMI (p = 0.0419, OR = 4.681), and age (p = 0.0021, OR = 1.309). The best CC cut-off point for predicting nutritional risk according to the NRS-2002 was ≤32.25 cm.

Conclusion: Both the NRS-2002 and MNA are useful for the nutritional diagnosis of older adults hospitalized for neoplasms. When the MNA, BMI, and age are used together, they can better predict nutritional risk according to the NRS-2002.     

Screening of depression in patients with chronic medical diseases in a primary care setting

BACKGROUND: Patients with chronic medical diseases may have depression that is not recognized by their primary care physicians. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine the application of Zung's Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) in the screening of depression in primary care patients with chronic medical diseases in a Chinese population. METHODS: We studied 268 patients with chronic medical diseases in the Family Medicine Outpatient Clinic using a structured questionnaire including basic demographic data, a Chinese version of the SDS and a rating for the self-perceived severity of physical condition. The severity of chronic medical diseases was assessed by the authors using the Duke University Severity of Illness Scale from a chart audit. Fifty patients were randomly selected for a diagnostic interview according to the DSM-IV criteria. The construct validity and internal consistency reliability, sensitivity and specificity of the SDS were examined. RESULTS: The results revealed that the SDS has good construct validity and internal consistent reliability in the evaluation of depression in Chinese patients with chronic medical diseases. A cut-off point of 55 had a sensitivity of 66.7% and a specificity of 90.0%. Depressed patients reported more cognitive symptoms than depressed affect and physical symptoms. Female patients had more severe depressed affect than male patients, but males had more prominent diurnal variation of mood than females. CONCLUSIONS: We concluded that SDS can be a good screening tool for depression in Chinese patients with chronic medical diseases. Owing to constraints in the expression of sexual desire in the Chinese, elderly subjects tended to report loss of libido in the response to the SDS.      

Senile anorexia in acute-ward and rehabilitation settings

The most common pathological change in eating behaviour among older persons is anorexia, which accounts for a large percent of undernutrition in older adults. The main research aims are to determine, in a sample of acute and rehabilitation elderly subjects, the prevalence of anorexia of aging and the causes most impacting on senile anorexia.Methods: four different Units cooperated to this research study. Patients were recruited from geriatric acute and rehabilitation wards in Italy. Each Research Unit, for the estimation of the prevalence of anorexia in elderly subjects evaluated all the patients aged over 65 recruited from April 2006 to June 2007. Nutritional status, depression, social, functional and cognitive status, quality of life, health status, chewing, swallowing, sensorial functions were evaluated in anorexic patients and in a sample of “normal eating” elderly subjects.Results: 96 anorexic subjects were selected in acute and rehabilitation wards (66 women; 81.5±7 years; 30 men: 81.8±8 years. The prevalence of anorexia in the sample was 33.3% in women and 26.7% in men. Anorexic subjects were older and more frequently needed help for shopping and cooking. A higher (although not statistically significant) level of comorbidity was present in anorexic subjects. These subjects reported constipation and epigastrium pain more frequently. Nutritional status parameters (MNA, anthropometry, blood parameters) were significantly worst in anorexic subjects whereas CRP was higher. Chewing and swallowing efficiencies were significantly impaired and eating patterns were different for anorexic subjects with a significant reduction of protein rich foods.Conclusions: consequences of anorexia can be extremely serious and deeply affect both patient’s mobility, mortality and quality of life. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to perform a special evaluation of the nutritional risk, to constantly evaluate the nutritional status and feeding intake of older patients, to identify and treat the underlying disease when possible, to institute environmental and behavioural modifications, to organise staff better in order to produce higher quality feeding assistance during mealtimes, to plan early nutrition rehabilitation and nutritional education programs for caregivers. There is also the necessity to develop diagnostic procedures easy to perform, able to identify the pathogenesis of anorexia and, therefore, treatment strategies exactly fitting the patients’ needs.     

Nutritional and Functional Status Indicators in Residents of a Long-Term Care Facility

In a cross-sectional study, we determined whether results from the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS), and Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL), were associated with nutritional status and mobility in long-term care residents. One hundred and fifteen study participants (mean [SD] age: 80.2 [10.6]) provided informed consent. Fifty eight percent (n = 66) responded to all three questionnaires: 12 were assessed as malnourished (MNA < 17) and 28 were depressed (GDS ≥ 6). Higher levels of depression were associated with lower serum zinc (n = 71, r = ?.356, p = .001) and associated with a slower Timed Up and Go test (TUG, n = 38, r = .301, p = .030). MNA was also associated with serum zinc (n = 44, r = .307, P = .021). Non responders to questionnaires (n = 36) had a lower BMI (mean difference: ?2.5 ± 1.0 kg/m², p = .013) and serum 25(OH)D (?8.7 ± 3.8 nmol/l, p = .023) vs. responders. The GDS, in addition to the MNA, is useful in identifying poor nutritional status in residential care. Intervention programs that target depression and poor nutritional status could potentially improve overall quality of life, but it is not clear if depression is leading to poor nutritional status or if poor nutrition is leading to depression.