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Nutritional screening and dietitian consultation rates in a geriatric evaluation and management unit
Author(s) -
Dent Elsa,
Wright Olivia,
Hoogendijk Emiel O.,
Hubbard Ruth E.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
nutrition and dietetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.479
H-Index - 31
eISSN - 1747-0080
pISSN - 1446-6368
DOI - 10.1111/1747-0080.12391
Subject(s) - medicine , malnutrition , anthropometry , poor appetite , grip strength , weight loss , quality of life (healthcare) , prospective cohort study , physical therapy , depression (economics) , body mass index , pediatrics , appetite , obesity , nursing , economics , macroeconomics
Aim Nutritional screening may not always lead to intervention. The present study aimed to determine: (i) the rate of nutritional screening in hospitalised older adults; (ii) whether nutritional screening led to dietitian consultation and (iii) factors associated with malnutrition. Methods In this prospective study of patients aged ≥70 years admitted to a Geriatric Evaluation and Management Unit (GEMU), malnutrition was screened for using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA‐SF) and identified using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Results Of the 172 patients participating in the study, 53 (30.8%) patients were malnourished, and 84 (48.8%) were at risk of malnutrition. Mean (SD) age was 85.2 (6.4 years), with 131 patients (76.2%) female. Nutritional screening was performed for all patients; however, it was incomplete in 59 (34.3%) because of omission of the anthropometric measurement. Overall, 62 (36.0%) of the total number of patients were seen by the dietitian, which included 26 (49%) of malnourished patients, 27 (32%) of at‐risk patients and 9 (26%) of the well‐nourished patients. No patients lost >1% of body weight during GEMU stay. Malnourished patients were more likely to be frail, have poor appetite, depression, and have lower levels of: albumin, cognition, physical function, grip strength and quality of life. Conclusions The full benefits of nutritional screening by MNA‐SF may not be realised if it does not result in malnourished patients receiving a dietitian consultation. However, it is possible that enrichment of the foodservice with high protein/high‐energy options minimised patient weight loss in the GEMU.