journal articles
NUTRITION MEDPASS IS AN EFFECTIVE APPROACH TO ORAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTATION TO INCREASE ELDERLY MALNOURISHED PATIENTS INTAKE AND COMPLIANCE AND IMPROVE NUTRITION STATUS AND OUTCOMES
F. García-Gollarte, R. Muñoz-Fernández, S. Coucheiro-Vilar, V. Herrando-Sanchís, T. Turró-Ribalta, G. Enrich-Pola, M.L. Orera-Peña
J Aging Res Clin Practice 2012;1(2):156-161
Background: Nutritional problems are common in the elderly population, particularly in institutional settings. Previous studies have shown that the use of a medication Medpass oral nutritional supplement program improves the nutritional status of these patients. Objectives: To assess the beneficial effects of a nutrition MedPass program on body weight and nutritional status in malnourished subjects over 65 years. Design: Prospective, observational, open-label study. Setting: Long-term care hospitals and nursing homes, Spain. Participants: Institutionalized patients who are malnourished or at risk for malnutrition (n = 495). Measurements: Malnutrition was defined by the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST). The primary endpoints were changes in weight (kg) and body mass index (BMI) (kg/m2) from baseline to 8 weeks. Daily record of oral nutritional supplement (ONS) intake. Secondary endpoints included albumin and total protein. Results: We analyzed 495 evaluable patients valid for intention--to-treat (ITT) analysis and 339 for the per-protocol (PP) analysis. At each weekly study visit and at the end of the study, statistically significant differences (p < 0.001) were found in weight, BMI and secondary variables (albumin and total protein levels) when compared to baseline, both in the ITT and the PP analysis. The average increase in body weight (mean ± SD) increase was 2 ± 2 kg for PP analysis; 76.1% of participants (n = 258) achieved a weight gain exceeding 1 kg in the PP analysis. Conclusions: The use of a MedPass program improved the nutritional status of elderly patients who are malnourished or at risk for malnutrition, as indicated by increased body weight and BMI.