Dolores Sánchez-Rodríguez1, Cédric Annweiler2, Natalia Ronquillo-Moreno3, Andrea Tortosa-Rodríguez4, Anna Guillén-Solà5, Olga Vázquez-Ibar6, Ferran Escalada5, Josep M Muniesa5, Ester Marco7. 1. Geriatrics Department, Parc de Salut Mar (Centre Fòrum - Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain; Rehabilitation Research Group, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain; School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; School of Medicine, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: 97662@parcdesalutmar.cat. 2. Department of Neurosciences and Aging, Division of Geriatric Medicine, Angers University Hospital, Angers University Memory Clinic, Research Center on Autonomy and Longevity, UPRES EA 4638, University of Angers, UNAM, Angers, France; Robarts Research Institute, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada. 3. Geriatrics Department, Parc de Salut Mar (Centre Fòrum - Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain. 4. Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Parc de Salut Mar (Hospital del Mar - Hospital de l'Esperança), Barcelona, Spain. 5. Rehabilitation Research Group, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain; School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Parc de Salut Mar (Hospital del Mar - Hospital de l'Esperança), Barcelona, Spain. 6. Geriatrics Department, Parc de Salut Mar (Centre Fòrum - Hospital del Mar), Barcelona, Spain; School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; School of Medicine, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain. 7. Rehabilitation Research Group, Institut Hospital del Mar d'Investigacions Mèdiques (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain; School of Medicine, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Spain; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Department, Parc de Salut Mar (Hospital del Mar - Hospital de l'Esperança), Barcelona, Spain; Universitat Internacional de Catalunya, Barcelona, Spain.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is a prevalent condition related to adverse outcomes in older people. Our aim was to compare the diagnostic capacity of the malnutrition criteria of the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN) with other classical diagnostic tools. METHODS: Cohort study of 102 consecutive in-patients ≥70 years admitted for postacute rehabilitation. Patients were considered malnourished if their Mini-Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) score was ≤11 and serum albumin <3 mg/dL or MNA-SF ≤ 11, serum albumin <3 mg/dL, and usual clinical signs and symptoms of malnutrition. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy likelihood ratios, and kappa values were calculated for both methods: and compared with ESPEN consensus. RESULTS: Of 102 eligible in-patients, 88 fulfilled inclusion criteria and were identified as "at risk" by MNA-SF. Malnutrition diagnosis was confirmed in 11.6% and 10.5% of the patients using classical methods,whereas 19.3% were malnourished according to the ESPEN criteria. Combined with low albumin levels, the diagnosis showed 57.9% sensitivity, 64.5% specificity, 85.9% negative predictive value,0.63 accuracy (fair validity, low range), and kappa index of 0.163 (poor ESPEN agreement). The combination of MNA-SF, low albumin, and clinical malnutrition showed 52.6% sensitivity, 88.3% specificity, 88.3%negative predictive value, and 0.82 accuracy (fair validity, low range), and kappa index of 0.43 (fair ESPEN agreement). CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition was almost twice as prevalent when diagnosed by the ESPEN consensus, compared to classical assessment methods: Classical methods: showed fair validity and poor agreement with the ESPEN consensus in assessing malnutrition in geriatric postacute care.
BACKGROUND:Malnutrition is a prevalent condition related to adverse outcomes in older people. Our aim was to compare the diagnostic capacity of the malnutrition criteria of the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN) with other classical diagnostic tools. METHODS: Cohort study of 102 consecutive in-patients ≥70 years admitted for postacute rehabilitation. Patients were considered malnourished if their Mini-Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) score was ≤11 and serum albumin <3 mg/dL or MNA-SF ≤ 11, serum albumin <3 mg/dL, and usual clinical signs and symptoms of malnutrition. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, accuracy likelihood ratios, and kappa values were calculated for both methods: and compared with ESPEN consensus. RESULTS: Of 102 eligible in-patients, 88 fulfilled inclusion criteria and were identified as "at risk" by MNA-SF. Malnutrition diagnosis was confirmed in 11.6% and 10.5% of the patients using classical methods,whereas 19.3% were malnourished according to the ESPEN criteria. Combined with low albumin levels, the diagnosis showed 57.9% sensitivity, 64.5% specificity, 85.9% negative predictive value,0.63 accuracy (fair validity, low range), and kappa index of 0.163 (poor ESPEN agreement). The combination of MNA-SF, low albumin, and clinical malnutrition showed 52.6% sensitivity, 88.3% specificity, 88.3%negative predictive value, and 0.82 accuracy (fair validity, low range), and kappa index of 0.43 (fair ESPEN agreement). CONCLUSIONS:Malnutrition was almost twice as prevalent when diagnosed by the ESPEN consensus, compared to classical assessment methods: Classical methods: showed fair validity and poor agreement with the ESPEN consensus in assessing malnutrition in geriatric postacute care.