journal articles
ESTIMATING NUTRITIONAL STATUS IN A SMALL COHORT OF ELDERLY CARE HOME RESIDENTS USING MUST, MNA AND BIOELECTRICAL IMPEDANCE PHASE ANGLE AND VECTOR ANALYSIS
A. Slee
J Aging Res Clin Practice 2013;2(1):65-70
Objectives: This study aimed to perform a non-invasive nutritional assessment in a group of elderly care home residents over a two-month period to estimate nutritional status using the malnutrition universal screening tool (MUST), the mini-nutritional assessment (MNA)-short form (-SF) and full version (-FULL), and bioelectrical impedance assessment (BIA). Design: An observational study performed over a 2 month period. Setting: A residential nursing care home in Lincolnshire, United Kingdom. Participants: 14 elderly Caucasian participants with presence of significant comorbidity were recruited (8 females and 6 males), mean age 85.6 ±6.2 (77-96). Measurements: Anthropometric measurements (height, weight, mid-upper arm and calf circumferences), calculation of body mass index (BMI), MUST and MNA scoring, and BIA at 50 kHz were completed at weeks 0, 4 and 8. BIA phase angle (PA) and BIA vector analysis (BIVA) at 50 kHz was investigated. Results: Group BMI indicated that the residents were a mixed group of body sizes and on average generally well nourished (e.g. week 0: 26.4kg/m2±6.5 (18.3-35.9). The MUST tool categorised residents predominantly within the low risk/normal range (62-67%); whereas MNA-SF placed the majority within medium/at risk category (57-77%); and MNA-FULL within medium/at risk (64-92%). PA (group at 0: 4.1±1.2 (2.2-6.7)) and BIVA indicated group data was similar to reference data for comorbid elderly populations with a lower nutritional and functional status. Conclusion: Study results indicate a potential data trend whereby there may be a mismatch in the assessment of nutritional status using MUST compared to the MNA. BIA PA and BIVA data supported the MNA results and were found to be consistent with reference population groups. Further studies in larger cohort groups will be necessary to confirm or refute this finding.