Diagnostic criteria for malnutrition - An ESPEN Consensus Statement

Accuracy of the GLIM criteria for diagnosing malnutrition: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Although malnutrition remains a global public health concern, and has proved to be a major contributor to death and illness, there has been a foundational lack of a gold standard for diagnostic testing for clinical application. The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria were established to normalize the diagnosis of malnutrition, but their use remains controversial. Therefore, we carried out a meta-analysis based on the published literature to assess the accuracy of the GLIM criteria for diagnosing malnutrition.

METHODS

We utilized publication databases (including CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE) to acquire research studies published from the initial use of the GLIM criteria in 2019 until January 22, 2022 that used the criteria to diagnose malnutrition. We conducted this meta-analysis with reference to the recommendations from the PRISMA-DTA statement. We separately calculated the amalgamated sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and AUC with 95%CI for the GLIM criteria. Then, we aggregated and presented the data by drawing forest plots to assess the real accuracy of the criteria. A subgroup analysis was also carried out to identify the potential sources of heterogeneity.

RESULTS

After the initial search of the CENTRAL, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases, a total of 451 unique studies were identified. Twenty studies met our selection standards and 10,781 total patients were included in the meta-analysis. We noted that 4761 of the 10,781 patients (44.2%) were malnourished. The amalgamated sensitivity of the GLIM criteria was 0.72 (95%CI, 0.64-0.78), the specificity was 0.82 (95%CI, 0.72-0.88), the PLR was 3.9 (95%CI, 2.6-6.1), NLR was 0.35 (95%CI, 0.27-0.44), DOR was 11 (95%CI, 6-20), and AUC was 0.82 (95%CI, 0.79-0.85). Based on the results of a subgroup analysis using the SGA as a reference standard, the GLIM criteria had better diagnostic value (sensitivity, 0.81; specificity, 0.80; DOR, 17; AUC, 0.87).

CONCLUSIONS

The GLIM criteria have high diagnostic accuracy for distinguishing patients with malnutrition, and the GLIM criteria seem to have the potential to be used as a gold standard for diagnosing malnutrition in clinical practice. Moreover, the subgroup analysis showed a better diagnostic value for the GLIM criteria compared to the SGA used as a reference standard. Large-scale diagnostic trials and additional refinements to simplify the criteria are urgently needed to increase the clinical utilization of the GLIM criteria in the future.

Validation of ventral hernia risk score in predicting surgical site infections

PURPOSE

Ventral hernia risk score (VHRS) is a risk assessment tool for predicting the development of surgical site infection (SSI) developed in the Veterans Affairs population by Berger et al. The score was externally validated by the same study group in a diverse population in another study. It was also shown to be better than the existing Centre for Diseases (CDC) wound class and Ventral Hernia Working Group (VHWG) models. Our study aims to test the performance of the score in an Asian-Indian population.

METHODS

A prospective database of ventral hernia repairs done in a tertiary care centre between February 2019 and December 2020 was utilized for the study. All patients with a minimum follow-up of 1-month period were included in the study. The CDC definition of SSI was used. The VHRS, VHWG, and CDC class of each of the patients was determined. Receiver-Operating curves (ROC) of the scores and area under the curves (AUC) were used to compare the three scores.

RESULTS

A total of 120 patients were included. During the course of our study, a total of 33 patients developed SSI (27.5%). Important factors which seemed to predict SSI were median operating time, CDC incision class, concomitant hernia repair, and creating skin flaps. The AUC of the VHRS score was 0.76 which was higher than those of VHWG (0.61) and CDC (0.58).

CONCLUSION

Our study externally validates the novel VHRS which outperforms both CDC incision class and VHWG in predicting SSI following open ventral hernia repair, especially in a group with lower BMI compared to the previous reports. Trial registration No CTRI/2020/07/026289 registered on 01/07/2020.

Recommendations for nutritional assessment across clinical practice guidelines: A scoping review

BACKGROUND & AIMS

CPGs propose several methods and criteria to perform nutritional assessment, a key process to determine the type and severity of malnutrition, which generates variability in clinical practice and outcomes. The aim of the study was to describe the criteria considered by clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) for nutritional assessment.

METHODS

We performed a scoping review systematically searching in PubMed, Trip Database, Google Scholar, and Google, until November 5, 2021. We included all CPGs mentioning tools or criteria for nutritional assessment in adults from the general population or with any specific pathology or condition. Two authors independently reviewed and decided on study selection and data extraction.

RESULTS

We included 18 CPGs (12 elaborated in Europe). The CPGs recommended heterogeneous criteria for nutritional assessment: 16/18 CPGs included at least one body composition parameter (e.g., loss of muscle mass, loss of subcutaneous fat), 15/18 included history related to dietary intake, 15/18 included clinical history (e.g., weight loss), 10/18 included anthropometric measurement (e.g., low body mass index [BMI]), 11/18 included biochemical criteria (e.g., albumin, C-reactive protein), 8/18 included physical examination (e.g., fluid retention, sarcopenia, loss of subcutaneous fat), 8/18 included functional test (e.g., decreased handgrip strength), and 1/18 included catabolic state. Also, 9/18 CPGs mentioned a tool for nutritional assessment, the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) the most common (8/18). None of the CPGs justified the inclusion of any of the tools or criteria they mentioned.

CONCLUSIONS

The CPGs mentioned heterogeneous criteria for nutritional assessment. The most commonly mentioned criteria were decreased food intake, loss of muscle mass, weight loss, and low BMI. The most mentioned tool was the SGA. None of the CPGs provided a clear rationale for using certain criteria or tools for nutritional assessment.

Myosteatosis as a Shared Biomarker for Sarcopenia and Cachexia Using MRI and Ultrasound

Purpose

Establish bedside biomarkers of myosteatosis for sarcopenia and cachexia. We compared ultrasound biomarkers against MRI-based percent fat, histology, and CT-based muscle density among healthy adults and adults undergoing treatment for lung cancer.

Methods

We compared ultrasound and MRI myosteatosis measures among young healthy, older healthy, and older adults with non-small cell lung cancer undergoing systemic treatment, all without significant medical concerns, in a cross-sectional pilot study. We assessed each participant's rectus femoris ultrasound-based echo intensity (EI), shear wave elastography-based shear wave speed, and MRI-based proton density fat-fraction (PDFF). We also assessed BMI, rectus femoris thickness and cross-sectional area. Rectus femoris biopsies were taken for all older adults (n = 20) and we analyzed chest CT scans for older adults undergoing treatment (n = 10). We determined associations between muscle assessments and BMI, and compared these assessments between groups.

Results

A total of 10 young healthy adults, 10 older healthy adults, and 10 older adults undergoing treatment were recruited. PDFF was lower in young adults than in older healthy adults and older adults undergoing treatment (0.3 vs. 2.8 vs. 2.9%, respectively, p = 0.01). Young adults had significantly lower EI than older healthy adults, but not older adults undergoing treatment (48.6 vs. 81.8 vs. 75.4, p = 0.02). When comparing associations between measures, PDFF was strongly associated with EI (ρ = 0.75, p < 0.01) and moderately negatively associated with shear wave speed (ρ = −0.49, p < 0.01) but not BMI, whole leg cross-sectional area, or rectus femoris cross-sectional area. Among participants with CT scans, paraspinal muscle density was significantly associated with PDFF (ρ = −0.70, p = 0.023). Histological markers of inflammation or degradation did not differ between older adult groups.

Conclusion

PDFF was sensitive to myosteatosis between young adults and both older adult groups. EI was less sensitive to myosteatosis between groups, yet EI was strongly associated with PDFF unlike BMI, which is typically used in cachexia diagnosis. Our results suggest that ultrasound measures may serve to determine myosteatosis at the bedside and are more useful diagnostically than traditional weight assessments like BMI. These results show promise of using EI, shear wave speed, and PDFF proxies of myosteatosis as diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers of sarcopenia and cachexia.

Kitchen Diet vs. Industrial Diets-Impact on Intestinal Barrier Parameters among Stroke Patients

Background and aims: Strokes are the second highest cause of death in the world and the most common cause of permanent disability in adults. Intestinal barrier permeability thus contributes to diminished homeostasis within the body, which further affects the healing process and convalescence. Each stroke patient should be administered with ingredients that support the intestinal barrier (e.g., protein and fiber). The aim of this study was to compare the effect of various types of diet (enteral with or without fiber vs. a mixed kitchen diet) on the metabolic activity of intestinal microbiota, namely short chain fatty acids, and gut barrier integrity parameters (zonulin and calprotectin. Methods: Patients (n = 59), after suffering an ischemic stroke, were randomly allocated to three groups receiving: the kitchen diet (n = 32; 1.2 g fiber in 100 mL); Nutrison Energy^® (n = 14; 0.02 g fiber in 100 mL); and Nutrison Diason Energy HP^® (n = 13; 1.8 g fiber in 100 mL). The patients underwent anthropometric measurements and blood samples (for prealbumin measurements), and stool samples (for zonulin and calprotectin determinations) were taken twice, on admission and a week later. Results: Industrial diets enriched with fiber maintained nutritional status and had a beneficial effect on intestinal barrier permeability parameters. Patients fed with kitchen diets demonstrated a decreased number of lymphocytes, hemoglobin, erythrocytes, and increased serum concentration of C-reactive protein, but improved gut barrier markers. Proton pump inhibitors were shown to increase the inflammatory process in gut. Conclusions: Stroke patients should be administered with industrial diets enriched with fiber to improve gut barrier integrity and nutritional parameters.

The Association between Nutritional Status and Length of Hospital Stay among Patients with Hypertension

Background: Nutritional status is related to the prognosis and length of hospital stay (LOS) of patients with hypertension (HT). This study aimed to assess how nutritional status and body mass index (BMI) affect LOS for patients with hypertension. Method: We performed a retrospective analysis of 586 medical records of patients who had been admitted to the Institute of Heart Diseases of the University Clinical Hospital in Wroclaw, Poland. Results: A total of 586 individuals were included in the analysis. Individuals who were at a nutritional risk represented less than 2% of the study population, but more than 60% were overweight or obese. The mean BMI was 28.4 kg/m² (SD: 5.16). LOS averaged 3.53 days (SD = 2.78). In the case of obese individuals, hospitalisation lasted for 3.4 ± 2.43 days, which was significantly longer than for patients of normal weight. For underweight patients, hospitalisation lasted for 5.14 ± 2.27 days, which was also significantly longer than for those in other BMI categories (p = 0.017). The independent predictors of shorter hospitalisations involved higher LDL concentration (parameter of regression: −0.015) and HDL concentration (parameter of regression: −0.04). Conclusions: The study revealed that with regard to the nutritional status of hypertensive patients, being either underweight or obese was associated with longer LOS. Additional factors that related to prolonged LOS were lower LDL and HDL levels and higher CRP concentrations.

Factors Associated with Handgrip Strength Among Older Adults in Malaysia

Purpose

Handgrip strength (HGS) is indicative of overall physical health among older adults. A decrease in HGS may be associated with an increased risk of disease. The aim of this study is to determine the factors associated with HGS among older adults in Malaysia.

Patients and Methods

One thousand two hundred four (1204) participants from urban and rural areas in Selangor state, Malaysia, were recruited. Sociodemographic and health-related conditions were gathered through a comprehensive face-to-face interview, followed by HGS assessments by a handgrip dynamometer. Subsequently, multiple linear regression was used to test the main association with the HGS.

Results

A total of 691 participants (57.4%) were male, and 513 (42.6%) were female. Males had a mean HGS of 30.0 (SD 7.53) kg, and females had a mean HGS of 19.4 (SD 5.28) kg. Males' handgrip strength was significantly reduced with increasing age, physically inactive, and diabetes (all at the level p<0.001) after adjusting for social-demographic characteristics and health-related variables. Meanwhile, for females, the HGS was significantly decreased with age (p<0.001), physically inactive (p<0.001) and hypertension (p=0.03). However, female HGS was positively related to BMI (p<0.001).

Conclusion

The study contributed to a better understanding of factors associated with HGS, and thus, the HGS is recommended as a section in the health evaluation among high-risk older adults as the strategy of disease control and prevention.

The Impact of Weight Loss during Chemoradiotherapy for Unresectable Esophageal Cancer: Real-World Results

Weight loss is a common phenomenon presented in unresectable esophageal cancer (EC) patients during their definitive chemoradiotherapy (dCRT) treatment course. This study explored the prognostic value of weight changes during dCRT in unresectable EC patients. From 2009 to 2017, 69 cT4b thoracic EC patients undergoing complete curative dCRT without baseline malnutrition were included. Clinical factors were analyzed via the Cox proportional hazards model and survival was analyzed by the Kaplan−Meier method. During dCRT, the median weight loss percentage was 5.51% (IQR = 2.77−8.85%), and the lowest body weight was reached at 35 days (IQR = 23−43 days). Median OS of these patients was 13.5 months. Both univariate and multivariate analysis demonstrated that weight loss ≤ 4% during dCRT was significantly associated with superior OS with a hazard ratio of 2.61 (95% CI: 1.40−4.85, p = 0.002). The median OS for patients with weight loss ≤ 4% and >4% during dCRT was 59.6 months and 9.7 months, respectively (p = 0.001). Our study demonstrated that weight loss ≤ 4% during dCRT course is a favorable prognostic factor for cT4b EC patients. This index could serve as a nutrition support reference for unresectable EC patients receiving dCRT in the future.

Nutritional Assessment and Interventions in Elective Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: a Detailed Review and Guide to Management

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

8.5 to 50% of total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients are reported to have preoperative malnutrition. The narrative review identifies the relationship between preoperative malnutrition for TJA patients and postoperative outcomes as well as the use of perioperative nutritional intervention to improve postoperative complications.

RECENT FINDINGS

Biochemical/laboratory, anthropometric, and clinical measures have been widely used to identify preoperative nutritional deficiency. Specifically, serum albumin is the most prevalent used marker in TJA because it has been proven to be correlated with protein-energy malnutrition due to the surgical stress response. However, there remains a sustained incidence of preoperative malnutrition in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and total hip arthroplasty (THA) patients due to a lack of agreement among the available nutritional screening tools and utilization of isolated laboratory, anthropometric, and clinical variables. Previous investigations have also suggested preoperative malnutrition to be a prognostic indicator of complications in general, cardiac, vascular, and orthopaedic surgery specialties. Serum albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, and total lymphocyte count (TLC) can be used to identify at-risk patients. It is important to employ these markers in the preoperative setting because malnourished TKA and THA patients have shown to have worse postoperative outcomes including prolonged length, increased reoperation rates, increased infection rates, and increased mortality rates. Although benefits from high-protein and high-anti-inflammatory diets have been exhibited, additional research is needed to confirm the use of perioperative nutritional intervention as an appropriate treatment for preoperative TJA patients.

Disease-related malnutrition in chronic kidney disease

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Disease-related malnutrition has complex and multifactorial pathophysiology. It is common in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) and has a devastating impact on morbidity and mortality. Given the rising numbers of patients diagnosed with CKD, disease-related malnutrition is an escalating clinical challenge. This review summarises current knowledge in relation to the development, screening and treatments for disease-related malnutrition in CKD.

RECENT FINDINGS

New research has identified other potential causes for the development of malnutrition in CKD, including changes in taste and smell, and effects of polypharmacy. Screening and assessment studies have investigated different tools in relation to the new Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria. Different modalities of low protein diets and the potential use of pre and probiotics are being explored. Furthermore, the importance of nutritional support, and possibly exercise during dialysis is being examined in terms of reducing anabolic resistance and catabolism.

SUMMARY

Further research is required to better understand the nuances of the pathophysiology of disease-related malnutrition in CKD. This work should inform not only consistent terminology and the application of assessment tools specific to disease-related malnutrition in CKD but also the development of novel interventions that reflect its multifaceted pathophysiology and impact.

A Practical Approach to Identifying Pediatric Disease-Associated Undernutrition: A Position Statement from the ESPGHAN Special Interest Group on Clinical Malnutrition

ABSTRACT

Disease-associated undernutrition (DAU) is still common in hospitalized children and is generally accepted to be associated with adverse effects on disease outcomes; hence making proper identification and assessment essential in the management of the sick child. There are however several barriers to routine screening, assessment, and treatment of sick children with poor nutritional status or DAU, including limited resources, lack of nutritional awareness, and lack of agreed nutrition policies. We recommend all pediatric facilities to 1) implement procedures for identification of children with (risk of) DAU, including nutritional screening, criteria for further assessment to establish diagnosis of DAU, and follow-up, 2) assess weight and height in all children asa minimum, and 3) have the opportunity for children at risk to be assessed by a hospital dietitian. An updated descriptive definition of pediatric DAU is proposed as "Undernutrition is a condition resulting from imbalanced nutrition or abnormal utilization of nutrients which causes clinically meaningful adverse effects on tissue function and/or body size/composition with subsequent impact on health outcomes." To facilitate comparison of undernutrition data, it is advised that in addition to commonly used criteria for undernutrition such as z score < -2 for weight-for-age, weight-for-length, or body mass index <-2, an unintentional decline of >1inthese z scores over time should be considered as an indicator requiring further assessment to establish DAU diagnosis. Since the etiology of DAU is multifactorial, clinical evaluation and anthropometry should ideally be complemented by measurements of body composition, assessment of nutritional intake, requirements, and losses, and considering disease specific factors.

Attributable is preventable: Corrected and revised estimates of population attributable fraction of TB related to undernutrition in 30 high TB burden countries

Introduction

The Global TB Report 2020 estimated the population attributable fractions (PAF) for the major risk factors of TB. Undernourishment emerged as the leading risk factor accounting for 19% of the cases. The WHO however used the terms undernourishment and undernutrition interchangeably in its computation of PAF. Undernourishment is an indirect model derived estimate of decreased per capita energy availability, while undernutrition is defined by direct anthropometric measurements of nutritional status. An estimate of PAF for a risk factor should use the prevalence and the risk ratio of the same risk factor, which is not the case with the current methodology.

Methods

We re- estimated the PAF of undernutrition (instead of undernourishment) in 30 high TB burden countries as defined by WHO for the period 2016–2020, using the prevalence of undernutrition (age standardized estimate of BMI < 18.5 kg/m² in adults for both sexes), and the relative risk (RR) of 3.2. Further, we revised PAF estimates of undernutrition with an RR of 4.49 (95% CI: 2.28, 8.86), in light of recent evidence.

Findings

In 30 high TB burden countries, 24.1% (95% CI: 17.6,30.0) of incident TB is attributable to undernutrition. The PAF of undernutrition was highest in Asian countries, unlike the PAF of undernourishment that was highest in Africa. The corrected estimate led up to 65% increase in number of cases attributable to undernutrition in Asian countries. If a revised relative risk was used, 33.0% (95% CI: 10.1, 60.1) of incident TB cases in the selected countries could be attributable to undernutrition. More than one-third to nearly half of incident TB cases in India could be attributable to undernutrition.

Interpretation

Estimation of the PAF of TB related to undernutrition is methodologically valid and operationally relevant, rather than PAF related to undernourishment, and should be used for future Global TB reports by WHO. Addressing undernutrition, the leading driver of TB in high TB burden countries (especially Asia) could enable achievement of END TB milestones of TB incidence for 2025.

Comparison of nutrition screening tools and calf circumference in estimating the preoperative prevalence of malnutrition among patients with aerodigestive tract cancers-a prospective observational cohort study

PURPOSE

There is paucity of data on the prevalence of malnutrition among cancer patients in India and a brief tool to identify the same would be an asset. Our aim was to evaluate two nutrition screening tools and calf circumference (CC) with the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) consensus guidelines for malnutrition among patients with head and neck (H&N) and gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.

METHODS

Nutritional evaluation was performed preoperatively using Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), Short Form of Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA-SF), and calf circumference (CC) in 206 patients. The diagnostic accuracy of these tools was compared with the ESPEN criteria for malnutrition. Patients evaluated were grouped as normal or malnourished. The incidence of infection, antibiotic days, antibiotic escalation, and length of stay was compared among the groups. Clavien-Dindo score at discharge, 30-day readmission, and mortality were also examined.

RESULTS

A total of 28.6% were malnourished as per ESPEN criteria and 25.2% had CC less than the cut-off. With respect to ESPEN criteria, MUST and MNA-SF had 100% sensitivity and negative predictive value. CC had the highest specificity and positive predictive value for the total population (91.16%, 75% respectively). The agreement between the tools was acceptable except in MNA-SF (MNA-SF-ESPEN κ = 0.228, MUST-ESPEN κ = 0.565, CC-ESPEN κ = 0.594). There was no difference in postoperative outcomes between the malnourished and normal.

CONCLUSION

Thus, more than a quarter of patients with H&N and GI cancers are malnourished preoperatively. As the best agreement between the screening tools was for MUST-ESPEN and CC-ESPEN, either of them can be used to identify malnutrition at admission.

How to examine anastomotic integrity intraoperatively in totally laparoscopic radical gastrectomy? Methylene blue testing prevents technical defect-related anastomotic leaks

BACKGROUND

Intraoperative methylene blue testing (IMBT), air leak testing, or endoscopy is used to assess the anastomotic integrity of esophagojejunostomy during open total gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Totally laparoscopic radical gastrectomy has been widely used to treat gastric cancer in the last few decades. However, reports on testing anastomotic integrity in totally laparoscopic radical gastrectomy are limited.

AIM

To explore the effects of IMBT on the incidence of postoperative anastomotic leaks (PALs) and identify the risk factors for PALs in totally laparoscopic radical gastrectomy.

METHODS

From January 2017 to December 2019, patients who underwent totally laparoscopic radical gastrectomy at the Shaanxi Provincial People's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. According to whether or not they experienced an IMBT, the patients were divided into an IMBT group and a control group. If the IMBT was positive, an intraoperative suture was required to reinforce the anastomosis. The difference in the incidence of PALs was compared, and the risk factors were investigated.

RESULTS

This study consisted of 513 patients, 211 in the IMBT group and 302 in the control group. Positive IMBT was shown in seven patients (3.3%) in the IMBT group, and no PAL occurred in these patients after suture reinforcement. Multivariate analysis showed that risk factors for predicting positive IMBT were body mass index (BMI) > 25 kg/m² (hazard ratio [HR] = 8.357, P = 0.009), operation time > 4 h (HR = 55.881, P = 0.002), and insufficient surgical experience (HR = 15.286, P = 0.010). Moreover, 15 patients (2.9%) developed PALs in 513 patients, and the rates of PALs were significantly lower in the IMBT group than in the control group [2 of 211 patients (0.9%) vs 13 of 302 patients (4.3%), P = 0.0026]. Further analysis demonstrated that preoperative complications (HR = 13.128, P = 0.017), totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy (HR = 9.075, P = 0.043), and neoadjuvant chemotherapy (HR = 7.150, P = 0.008) were independent risk factors for PALs.

CONCLUSION

IMBT is an effective method to evaluate the integrity of anastomosis during totally laparoscopic radical gastrectomy, thus preventing technical defect-related anastomotic leaks. Preoperative complications, totally laparoscopic total gastrectomy, and neoadjuvant chemotherapy are independent risk factors for PALs.

Characterization of the Skeletal Muscle Proteome in Undernourished Old Rats

Aging is associated with a progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass and function termed sarcopenia. Various metabolic alterations that occur with aging also increase the risk of undernutrition, which can worsen age-related sarcopenia. However, the impact of undernutrition on aged skeletal muscle remains largely under-researched. To build a deeper understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying age-related sarcopenia, we characterized the undernutrition-induced changes in the skeletal muscle proteome in old rats. For this study, 20-month-old male rats were fed 50% or 100% of their spontaneous intake for 12 weeks, and proteomic analysis was performed on both slow- and fast-twitch muscles. Proteomic profiling of undernourished aged skeletal muscle revealed that undernutrition has profound effects on muscle proteome independently of its effect on muscle mass. Undernutrition-induced changes in muscle proteome appear to be muscle-type-specific: slow-twitch muscle showed a broad pattern of differential expression in proteins important for energy metabolism, whereas fast-twitch muscle mainly showed changes in protein turnover between undernourished and control rats. This first proteomic analysis of undernourished aged skeletal muscle provides new molecular-level insight to explain phenotypic changes in undernourished aged muscle. We anticipate this work as a starting point to define new biomarkers associated with undernutrition-induced muscle loss in the elderly.

Phase Angle Is a Stronger Predictor of Hospital Outcome than Subjective Global Assessment-Results from the Prospective Dessau Hospital Malnutrition Study

This prospective cohort study of 16,943 consecutive patients compared phase angle (PhA, foot-to-hand at 50 kHz) and subjective global assessment (SGA) to predict outcomes length of hospital stay (LOS) and in-hospital mortality in patients at risk of malnutrition (NRS-2002 ≥ 3). In 1505 patients, the independent effects on LOS were determined by competing risk analysis and on mortality by logistic regression. In model I, including influence factors age, sex, BMI, and diagnoses, malnourished (SGA B and C) patients had a lower chance for a regular discharge (HR 0.74; 95%CI 0.69−0.79) and an increased risk of mortality (OR 2.87; 95%CI 1.38−5.94). The association of SGA and outcomes regular discharge and mortality was completely abrogated when PhA was added (model II). Low PhA reduced the chance of a regular discharge by 53% in patients with a PhA ≤ 3° (HR 0.47; 95%CI 0.39−0.56) as compared to PhA > 5°. Mortality was reduced by 56% for each 1° of PhA (OR 0.44; 95%CI 0.32−0.61). Even when CRP was added in model III, PhA ≤ 3° was associated with a 41% lower chance for a regular discharge (HR 0.59; 95%CI 0.48−0.72). In patients at risk of malnutrition, the objective measure PhA was a stronger predictor of LOS and mortality than SGA.

Guidance for assessment of the muscle mass phenotypic criterion for the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) diagnosis of malnutrition

The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) provides consensus criteria for the diagnosis of malnutrition that can be widely applied. The GLIM approach is based on the assessment of three phenotypic (weight loss, low body mass index, and low skeletal muscle mass) and two etiologic (low food intake and presence of disease with systemic inflammation) criteria, with diagnosis confirmed by any combination of one phenotypic and one etiologic criterion fulfilled. Assessment of muscle mass is less commonly performed than other phenotypic malnutrition criteria, and its interpretation may be less straightforward, particularly in settings that lack access to skilled clinical nutrition practitioners and/or to body composition methodologies. In order to promote the widespread assessment of skeletal muscle mass as an integral part of the GLIM diagnosis of malnutrition, the GLIM consortium appointed a working group to provide consensus-based guidance on assessment of skeletal muscle mass. When such methods and skills are available, quantitative assessment of muscle mass should be measured or estimated using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, computerized tomography, or bioelectrical impedance analysis. For settings where these resources are not available, then the use of anthropometric measures and physical examination are also endorsed. Validated ethnic- and sex-specific cutoff values for each measurement and tool are recommended when available. Measurement of skeletal muscle function is not advised as surrogate measurement of muscle mass. However, once malnutrition is diagnosed, skeletal muscle function should be investigated as a relevant component of sarcopenia and for complete nutrition assessment of persons with malnutrition.

Identification of Preoperative Fat-Free Mass Index for the Prognosis of Curatively Resected Esophageal Cancer

BACKGROUND

The progressive, systemic depletion of muscle mass is a poor prognostic factor for various types of cancers. However, the assessment of body composition for patients with esophagectomy remains unclear. Therefore, we evaluated the significance of the fat-free mass index (FFMI) and estimated the appropriate cutoff value.

METHODS

We compiled clinicopathological characteristics of patients who underwent curative operation for esophageal cancer between October 2013 and March 2018 at Toranomon Hospital and reviewed them until December 2020. We analyzed the short- and long-term outcomes, compared to conventional nutritional factors, and calculated the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.

RESULTS

A total of 200 patients were eligible for inclusion. FFMI was ineffective in predicting postoperative complications, with no correlation with other nutritional biomarkers. Preoperative low FFMI led to poor overall survival (OS), and the lower cutoff values based on the time-dependent ROC analysis were 14.4 and 16.8 kg/m2 in women and men, respectively. Multivariate analysis for OS revealed that low FFMI (p = 0.010, HR 2.437, 95% CI 1.234-4.815) and clinical stage (p = 0.010, HR 4.781, 95% CI 1.447-15.796) were independent prognostic factors. The 3-year survival rates were 68.9% in low FFMI and 88.6% in normal FFMI.

CONCLUSIONS

The low FFMI was not predictive of postoperative complications but an independent prognostic factor in esophageal cancer with curative resection, having no correlation with other biomarkers. Our cutoff FFMI values could be useful in selecting the target for muscle improvement programs.

The Association between Malnutrition and Physical Performance in Older Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies

In recent years the focus of healthcare and nutritional science in older adults has shifted from mortality towards physical performance and quality of life. The aim of this review was to summarize observational studies on physical performance in malnourished (MN) or at risk of malnutrition (RMN) older adults compared with well-nourished (WN) older adults. Eligible studies had to report on nutritional status and objectively measured physical performance in older adults (≥60 y). MN or RMN groups had to be compared with a WN group, measured with a validated nutrition screener. Ovid Medline and Web of Science were searched until 13 November, 2020. Study quality was scored using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Results were analyzed by meta-analysis when possible, or narratively reviewed otherwise. Forty-five studies (16,911 participants in total) were included from studies in outpatient clinics (n = 6), nursing homes (n = 3), community-dwelling older adults (n = 20), hospitalized patients (n = 15), or a combination (n = 1). Studies used 11 different screeners of malnutrition, and 8 types of physical performance measures. Meta-analysis showed that compared with MN, WN groups had better hand grip strength (mean difference [MD] = 4.92 kg; 95% CI: 3.43, 6.41; P < 0.001; n = 23), faster gait speed (MD = 0.16 m/s; 95% CI: 0.05, 0.27; P = 0.0033; n = 7), performed faster on timed-up-and-go (MD = -5.94 s; 95% CI: -8.98, -2.89; P < 0.001; n = 8), and scored 1.2 more short physical performance battery points (95% CI: 1.32, 2.73; P < 0.001; n = 6). Results were less pronounced when compared with RMN. Narratively, all studies showed an association for knee extension strength, 6-min walking test, and multicomponent tests, except for the chair stand test. Study limitations include no studies scoring "good" on NOS, lack of confounder adjustment, and high heterogeneity. Overall, evidence from cross-sectional studies indicate an association between malnutrition and worse physical performance in older adults. This study is registered in PROSPERO as CRD42020192893.

The association between pre-operative malnutrition and post-amputation clinical outcomes: A systematic review

Background:

In patients who underwent lower limb amputation (LLA), the prevalence of malnutrition and its association with clinical outcomes are unclear.

Objectives:

This systematic review aims to identify literature and summarise existing information on (1) the prevalence of malnutrition in the patients with LLA and (2) the association between pre-operative nutritional status and post-surgery clinical outcomes in patients who require amputation.

Methods:

A search was conducted in four electronic databases (Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed, CINAHL and Scopus) to identify eligible studies. The search strategy was based on keywords – amputation, malnutrition and undernutrition. Article were included regardless of the study design; and if they were written in English; included adult patients with lower limb or foot amputation; and performed pre-amputation nutrition assessments.

Results:

Seven articles met the eligibility criteria. Malnutrition was assessed by biochemistry and/or anthropometry – none of which are validated nutrition assessment tools. Nevertheless, abnormal biochemistry and/or anthropometry results were associated with delayed wound healing, complications and failed amputation compared to normal ranges. The association between abnormal biochemistry and/or anthropometry parameters and mortality was less consistent. Only one study used a validated nutrition screen tool and found half of the population with LLA were at risk of malnutrition, but no association was reported.

Conclusions:

The association between malnutrition and clinical outcomes in patients who underwent LLA remains unclear as all the eligible studies that investigated association used unvalidated nutrition assessment tools. There is an urgent need to address this knowledge gap in future research.

Nutrition implications of intrinsic restrictive lung disease

Restrictive lung disease is defined as a reduction in lung volume that may be due to intraparenchymal or extraparenchymal causes. Intraparenchymal causes falls under the umbrella term of interstitial lung disease (ILD) and includes idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. This manuscript provides an overview of ILD and can be beneficial for all clinicians working with patients with ILD. Although not well documented, the prevalence of malnutrition in patients with ILD has been reported to be between ~9% and 55%. Body mass index has been shown to predict survival; but more recently, research has suggested that fat-free mass has a larger influence on survival. There is insufficient evidence to support the use of antioxidant or vitamin supplementation to help diminish the chronic inflammatory process that is seen in this patient population. There are data from studies examining the vitamin D status in this patient population, but research on vitamin D supplementation appears to be lacking. Registered dietitian nutritionists should continue to advocate and play a more prominent role in the nutrition management of patients with ILD as part of standard of care.

Parenteral Nutrition Total Energy Dosing and Risk for Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infection: A Case-Control Study

BACKGROUND

Central line-associated bloodstream infection (CLABSI) is a complication of central venous access devices used for parenteral nutrition (PN). PN overfeeding is associated with increased adverse effects; however, whether risk for CLABSI is influenced by PN dosing is uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the study was to assess differences in CLABSI risk associated with recommended total energy dosing in hospitalized adult patients receiving PN.

METHODS

A case-control study was conducted in a single United States Veterans Health Administration health system to assess the potential CLABSI risk factor of weight-based PN kilocalorie dosing. Hospitalized adult patients who developed CLABSI while receiving PN were identified and compared to a control group of patients who did not develop CLABSI. The exposures evaluated were overfeeding, defined as greater than 30 kcal/kg/day, and underfeeding, defined as less than 20 kcal/kg/day.

RESULTS

Twenty-nine cases of CLABSI were identified and compared with 274 controls. Odds of CLABSI were significantly higher in patients receiving greater than 30 kcal/kg/day (OR, 3.63; 95% CI, 1.55-8.48; P < .01). No significant difference in odds was found for patients receiving less than 20 kcal/kg/day (OR, .74; 95% CI, 0.21-2.57; P = .63).

CONCLUSION

Increased risk for CLABSI in hospitalized adult patients receiving PN was found to be associated with overfeeding, but not underfeeding. These results may aid clinicians in the management of patients requiring PN and in the generation of hypothesis for future investigations.

Quantification of Abdominal Muscle Mass and Diagnosis of Sarcopenia with Cross-Sectional Imaging in Patients with Polycystic Kidney Disease: Correlation with Total Kidney Volume

Background: Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is an inherited disorder characterized by renal cysts that may mask lean body loss. This study quantified and compared muscle mass by using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images between the PKD and control groups and correlated muscle mass with total kidney volume (TKV). Methods: We retrospectively enrolled patients who had a new diagnosis of PKD from May 2015 to May 2016. The CT and MRI images at the third lumbar level were processed to measure the total abdominal muscle (TAM) area for the diagnosis of sarcopenia, and TKV was estimated using the ellipsoid formula. Results: We included 37 women and 25 men (mean age: 50.40 years) in the PKD group. There was no difference in body mass index and albumin levels, but significant differences in creatinine level (p < 0.001), TAM area (p = 0.047), and TKV (p < 0.001), were noted between the two groups. A significantly negative correlation was observed between TKV and TAM area after adjustment for body height (r = −0.217, p = 0.003). Conclusions: CT and MRI images can accurately diagnose sarcopenia, which may be masked by cysts in patients with PKD.

Efficacy of the Nutritional Risk Index, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index, BMI, and GLIM-Defined Malnutrition in Predicting Survival of Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Patients Qualified for Home Enteral Nutrition

Malnutrition is a poor prognostic factor in cancer disease. In case of head and neck cancer, there are multiple disease symptoms and side effects of treatment that increase the risk of malnutrition. The aim of the study is to assess the association between nutritional status at the time of qualification for home enteral nutrition (HEN) and overall survival of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), and assessment usefulness of selected nutritional indices as prognostic factors. The retrospective survival analysis involved 157 patients with HNC referred to HEN between January 2018 and October 2021. The nutritional status assessment was performed at the qualification for HEN visit. We have analyzed results of body mass index (BMI), Nutritional Risk Index (NRI) for patients <65 years, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) for patients ≥65 years and malnutrition defined by Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM). The mean patient survival was 44.7 weeks and the median was 23.9 weeks. Patients with low NRI and GNRI score had a higher risk of death (NRI: p = 0.0229; GNRI: p = 0.371). NRI, GNRI, and malnutrition defined by GLIM were superior to BMI as prognostic markers for survival. Results suggest that the use of NRI, GNRI, and GLIM criteria could provide useful prognostic information. The longer survival since the qualifying visit for home enteral nutrition suggests that nutritional management could be initiated earlier.

Efficacy of the Nutritional Risk Index, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index, BMI, and GLIM-Defined Malnutrition in Predicting Survival of Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Patients Qualified for Home Enteral Nutrition

Malnutrition is a poor prognostic factor in cancer disease. In case of head and neck cancer, there are multiple disease symptoms and side effects of treatment that increase the risk of malnutrition. The aim of the study is to assess the association between nutritional status at the time of qualification for home enteral nutrition (HEN) and overall survival of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), and assessment usefulness of selected nutritional indices as prognostic factors. The retrospective survival analysis involved 157 patients with HNC referred to HEN between January 2018 and October 2021. The nutritional status assessment was performed at the qualification for HEN visit. We have analyzed results of body mass index (BMI), Nutritional Risk Index (NRI) for patients <65 years, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) for patients ≥65 years and malnutrition defined by Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM). The mean patient survival was 44.7 weeks and the median was 23.9 weeks. Patients with low NRI and GNRI score had a higher risk of death (NRI: p = 0.0229; GNRI: p = 0.371). NRI, GNRI, and malnutrition defined by GLIM were superior to BMI as prognostic markers for survival. Results suggest that the use of NRI, GNRI, and GLIM criteria could provide useful prognostic information. The longer survival since the qualifying visit for home enteral nutrition suggests that nutritional management could be initiated earlier.

Efficacy of the Nutritional Risk Index, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index, BMI, and GLIM-Defined Malnutrition in Predicting Survival of Patients with Head and Neck Cancer Patients Qualified for Home Enteral Nutrition

Malnutrition is a poor prognostic factor in cancer disease. In case of head and neck cancer, there are multiple disease symptoms and side effects of treatment that increase the risk of malnutrition. The aim of the study is to assess the association between nutritional status at the time of qualification for home enteral nutrition (HEN) and overall survival of patients with head and neck cancer (HNC), and assessment usefulness of selected nutritional indices as prognostic factors. The retrospective survival analysis involved 157 patients with HNC referred to HEN between January 2018 and October 2021. The nutritional status assessment was performed at the qualification for HEN visit. We have analyzed results of body mass index (BMI), Nutritional Risk Index (NRI) for patients <65 years, Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) for patients ≥65 years and malnutrition defined by Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM). The mean patient survival was 44.7 weeks and the median was 23.9 weeks. Patients with low NRI and GNRI score had a higher risk of death (NRI: p = 0.0229; GNRI: p = 0.371). NRI, GNRI, and malnutrition defined by GLIM were superior to BMI as prognostic markers for survival. Results suggest that the use of NRI, GNRI, and GLIM criteria could provide useful prognostic information. The longer survival since the qualifying visit for home enteral nutrition suggests that nutritional management could be initiated earlier.

Sarcopenia Index Based on Serum Creatinine and Cystatin C is Associated with Mortality, Nutritional Risk/Malnutrition and Sarcopenia in Older Patients

Purpose

To investigate the association of sarcopenia index (SI) [(serum creatinine/serum cystatin C) × 100] with mortality, nutritional risk/malnutrition and sarcopenia among hospitalized older adults.

Subjects and Methods

A prospective analysis was performed in 758 hospitalized older adults. Anthropometric measures and biochemical parameters were carried out for each patient. Sarcopenia was defined according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia (AWGS) 2019 algorithm. Nutritional risk/malnutrition was defined according to the European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) criteria. The logistic regression analysis was employed for the analysis of correlation between the SI and other variables. Cox regression analysis was employed to analyze correlation between the SI and mortality.

Results

A total of 758 participants agreed to participate in this study (589 men and 169 women; mean age: 85.6±6.1 years). The median of the follow-up period was 212 days. A total of 112 patients died. A high SI (per 1-SD was 22.1) was independently associated with all-cause mortality (HR per 1-SD = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.47–0.79), nutritional risk/malnutrition (OR per 1-SD = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.29–0.49) and sarcopenia (OR per 1-SD = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.45–0.74). High SI was positively correlated with albumin (r = 0.32, P < 0.001), hemoglobin (r = 0.24, P < 0.001), body mass index (BMI) (r = 0.12, P = 0.001), waist circumference (WC) (r = 0.08, P = 0.046), calf circumference (CC) (r = 0.45, P < 0.001), hand grip strength (HGS) (r = 0.52, P < 0.001) and negatively correlated with triglyceride glucose (TyG) (r = −0.11, P = 0.007).

Conclusion

The SI based on serum cystatin C and creatinine is associated with long-term mortality, nutritional risk/malnutrition and sarcopenia in hospitalized older Chinese patients.

Team Approach: Nutritional Assessment and Interventions in Elective Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

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Nutritional assessment is a critical element of routine preoperative assessment and should be approached by an interdisciplinary team that involves the primary care physician, dietitian, and orthopaedist.

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Patients should be stratified on the basis of their nutritional risk, which influences downstream optimization and deficiency reversal.

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The scientific literature indicates that nutritional supplementation affords protection against adverse outcomes and helps functional recovery, even among patients who are not at nutritional risk.

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Published investigations recommend a sufficient preoperative interval (at least 4 weeks) to ensure an adequate nutritional intervention in malnourished patients as opposed to regarding them as nonsurgical candidates.

Utilization and validation of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM): A scoping review

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The diagnosis of malnutrition remains a significant challenge despite various published diagnostic criteria. In 2018, the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) published a set of evidence-based criteria as a framework for malnutrition diagnosis in adults. A scoping review was conducted to understand how the GLIM criteria have been used in published literature and compare the reported validation methods to published validation guidance.

METHODS

Dialog and Dimensions databases were searched by publication date (January 1, 2019, through January 29, 2021). Data were extracted and mapped to the research objectives.

RESULTS

Seventy-nine studies were reviewed; 32% were in patients at least 65 years of age; 67% occurred in hospitals. The majority were cohort studies (61%). Fifty-seven percent employed all 5 GLIM criteria. Regarding phenotypic criteria, 92% used low BMI, and 45% applied anthropometry as a marker for muscle mass, of which 54% used calf circumference. Regarding etiologic criteria, 72% used reduced food intake/assimilation, and 85% applied inflammation/disease burden. Validation of GLIM criteria was described in 77% of publications.

CONCLUSIONS

The GLIM criteria have been studied extensively since their publication. Low BMI was the phenotypic criterion used most often, whereas both reduced food intake/assimilation and inflammation/disease burden were frequently employed as the etiologic criteria. However, how the criteria were combined and how validation was conducted were not clear in most studies. Adequately powered, methodologically sound validation studies using the complete GLIM criteria are needed in various patient populations and disease settings to assess validity for the diagnosis of malnutrition.

Nutritional Status Impacts Quality of Life in Head and Neck Cancer Patients Undergoing (Chemo)Radiotherapy: Results from the Prospective HEADNUT Trial

Malnutrition negatively impacts quality of life (QoL) in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC). This is the first prospective study to assess the impact of malnutrition (defined by the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA)-derived fat-free mass index) on QoL in patients with HNC undergoing (chemo)radiotherapy. Between October 2018 and October 2020, 58 HNC patients prospectively completed the QoL-questionnaires EORTC-QLQ-C30 and EORTC-QLQ-H&N35 at the beginning (t_b) and at the end of (chemo)radiotherapy (t_e) as well as during follow-up (t_f). At these time points, nutritional risk assessment (MUST, NRS-2002, Nutriscore), BIA measurement and laboratory testing was performed by a permanent study team. Differences between malnourished (n = 14) and well-nourished patients (n = 44) were observed in UICC classification (P < 0.001) and HPV status (P = 0.03). Well-nourished patients showed higher baseline hemoglobin (P = 0.025) and albumin (P = 0.005), but lower c-reactive protein levels (P < 0.001). At t_b, mostly malnourished patients presented with worse QoL. Multivariable analysis showed that MUST, NRS-2002, HPV status, and UICC classification were related to QoL. Nutritional status has a crucial impact on QoL. The nutritional screening protocols MUST and NRS-2002 are suitable for identifying patients at risk and predicting QoL in patients with HNC undergoing (chemo)radiotherapy.

Sarcopenic Dysphagia, Malnutrition, and Oral Frailty in Elderly: A Comprehensive Review

Frailty is a highly prevalent condition in the elderly that has been increasingly considered as a crucial public health issue, due to the strict correlation with a higher risk of fragility fractures, hospitalization, and mortality. Among the age-related diseases, sarcopenia and dysphagia are two common pathological conditions in frail older people and could coexist leading to dehydration and malnutrition in these subjects. “Sarcopenic dysphagia” is a complex condition characterized by deglutition impairment due to the loss of mass and strength of swallowing muscles and might be also related to poor oral health status. Moreover, the aging process is strictly related to poor oral health status due to direct impairment of the immune system and wound healing and physical and cognitive impairment might indirectly influence older people’s ability to carry out adequate oral hygiene. Therefore, poor oral health might affect nutrient intake, leading to malnutrition and, consequently, to frailty. In this scenario, sarcopenia, dysphagia, and oral health are closely linked sharing common pathophysiological pathways, disabling sequelae, and frailty. Thus, the aim of the present comprehensive review is to describe the correlation among sarcopenic dysphagia, malnutrition, and oral frailty, characterizing their phenotypically overlapping features, to propose a comprehensive and effective management of elderly frail subjects.

Low calf circumference can predict nutritional risk and mortality in adults with metabolic syndrome aged over 80 years

BACKGROUND

Metabolic disorders and malnutrition are a double burden worldwide. The aim was to determine whether low calf circumference (CC) could predict nutritional risk and the cut-off values of CC for predicting nutritional risk in metabolic syndrome (MetS) patients aged over 80 years. We aimed to evaluate the risk factors for predicting mortality in MetS.

METHODS

A total of 514 patients aged over 80 years with MetS were enrolled and followed for 2.5 years. On admission, demographic data, CC, and laboratory parameters were obtained. Patients with a Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002) total score ≥ 3 were considered to have nutritional risk.

RESULTS

The CC level was significantly lower in the nutritional risk group than in the non-nutritional risk with MetS group (27.1 ± 4.0 cm vs. 30.8 ± 3.9 cm). Logistic regression analysis of nutritional risk revealed that increasing CC (adjusted OR, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.74-0.88) was an independent protective factor against nutrition risk. The best CC cut-off value for predicting nutritional risk according to the NRS 2002 was 28.8 cm. Cox regression multivariate models showed nutritional risk (HR, 2.48; 95% CI, 1.22-5.04) and decreased CC (HR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.27-5.98) remained independent risk factors for mortality.

CONCLUSION

Decreased CC could predict not only nutritional risk but also mortality in MetS patients aged over 80 years. The elderly who had MetS with nutritional risk should be discovered early, early intervention and early treatment. CC may be a valuable index to screen out this population.

Simple Clinical Screening Underestimates Malnutrition in Surgical Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease-An ACS NSQIP Analysis

The present large scale study aimed to assess the prevalence and consequences of malnutrition, based on clinical assessment (body mass index and preoperative weight loss) and severe hypoalbuminemia (<3.1 g/L), in a representative US cohort undergoing IBD surgery. The American College of Surgeons National Quality improvement program (ACS-NSQIP) Public User Files (PUF) between 2005 and 2018 were assessed. A total of 25,431 patients were identified. Of those, 6560 (25.8%) patients had severe hypoalbuminemia, 380 (1.5%) patients met ESPEN 2 criteria (≥10% weight loss over 6 months PLUS BMI < 20 kg/m2 in patients <70 years OR BMI < 22 kg/m2 in patients ≥70 years), and 671 (2.6%) patients met both criteria (severe hypoalbuminemia and ESPEN 2). Patients who presented with malnutrition according to any of the three definitions had higher rates of overall, minor, major, surgical, and medical complications, longer LOS, higher mortality and higher rates of readmission and reoperation. The simple clinical assessment of malnutrition based on BMI and weight loss only, considerably underestimates its true prevalence of up to 50% in surgical IBD patients and calls for dedicated nutritional assessment.

Malnutrition in Hospitalized Old Patients: Screening and Diagnosis, Clinical Outcomes, and Management

Malnutrition in hospitalized patients heavily affects several clinical outcomes. The prevalence of malnutrition increases with age, comorbidities, and intensity of care in up to 90% of old populations. However, malnutrition frequently remains underdiagnosed and undertreated in the hospital. Thus, an accurate screening to identify patients at risk of malnutrition or malnourishment is determinant to elaborate a personal nutritional intervention. Several definitions of malnutrition were proposed in the last years, affecting the real frequency of nutritional disorders and the timing of intervention. Diagnosis of malnutrition needs a complete nutritional assessment, which is often challenging to perform during a hospital stay. For this purpose, various screening tools were proposed, allowing patients to be stratified according to the risk of malnutrition. The present review aims to summarize the actual evidence in terms of diagnosis, association with clinical outcomes, and management of malnutrition in a hospital setting.

Correlation of Patient Generated-subjective Global Assessment with Serum C-reactive Protein Level in Stage I–IV Head-and-neck Cancer

AIM: This study aims to identify the correlation between patient generated-subjective global assessment (PG-SGA) with serum C-reactive protein (CRP) to be used to predict inflammation and prevent cachexia in head-and-neck cancer patients. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study using 51 patients with inclusion criteria of patients diagnosed with head-and-neck cancer irrespective of stage, age ≥18 years old, had not received treatments of radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and surgery. The statistical analysis performed was Kolmogorov–Smirnov normality test, bivariate analysis by Spearman test, and linear regression analysis. RESULTS: As many as 64.7% of the patients had PG-SGA score ≥9 (average PG-SGA score 11.7 ± 6.2). The CRP median value was 6.4 (0.4–170.4) mg/L. There was a statistically significant positive but weak correlation between PG-SGA score with serum CRP (r = 0.372 and p = 0.007) and a significant linear relationship (r2 = 0.201). CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition risk assessment using PG-SGA showed a high prevalence of malnutrition risk in head-and-neck cancer patients. PG-SGA score is correlated with serum CRP level. Further studies are needed to confirm the result of this study.

Nutritional Screening and Anthropometry in Patients Admitted From the Emergency Department

Background

Due to the high prevalence of malnutrition among hospitalized patients, screening and assessment of nutritional status should be routinely performed upon hospital admission. The main objective of this observational study was to evaluate the prevalence of and the risk for malnutrition, as identified by using three nutritional screening tests, and to observe whether some anthropometric and functional parameters used for nutritional evaluation were related to these test scores.

Methods

This single-center observational study included 207 patients admitted from the emergency department for hospitalization in either the internal medicine or surgery units of our institution from September 2017 to December 2018. The prevalence of malnutrition among this patient sample was evaluated by using the Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002), the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria. Body mass index (BMI), bioimpedance analysis (BIA), handgrip strength (HGS) and calf circumference (CC) assessments were also performed.

Results

According to the NRS-2002, 93% of the patients were at no risk or at low nutritional risk (NRS score < 3), and 7% were at a high nutritional risk (NRS score ≥ 3). On the other hand, according to the SGA, 46.3% of the patients were well-nourished (SGA-a), 49.8% were moderately malnourished (SGA-b), and 3.9% were severely malnourished (SGA-c). Finally, according to the GLIM criteria, 18% patients were malnourished. Body weight, body mass index (BMI), phase angle (PhA), CC and HGS were significantly lower in the patients with NRS scores ≥ 3, SGA-c and in patients with stage 1 and stage 2 malnutrition, according to the GLIM criteria.

Conclusion

The NRS-2002, the SGA and the GLIM criteria appear to be valuable tools for the screening and assessment of nutritional status. In particular, the lowest NRS-2002, SGA and GLIM scores were associated with the lowest PhA and CC. Nevertheless, a weekly re-evaluation of patients with better screening and assessment scores is recommended to facilitate early detection of changes in nutritional status.

Piloting a training program in computed tomography (CT) skeletal muscle assessment for Registered Dietitians

BACKGROUND

Consensus definitions for disease-associated malnutrition and sarcopenia include reduced skeletal muscle mass as a diagnostic criterion. There is a need to develop and validate techniques to assess skeletal muscle in clinical practice. Skeletal muscle mass can be precisely quantified from computed tomography (CT) images. This pilot study aimed to train Registered Dietitians (RD) to complete precise skeletal muscle measurements using CT.

METHODS

Purposive sampling identified RDs employed in clinical areas where CT scans are routinely performed. CT training included: 1) a 3-day training session focused on manual segmentation of skeletal muscle cross-sectional areas (cm² ) from abdominal CT images at the third lumber (L3) vertebra, using SliceOmatic® software, and 2) a precision assessment to quantify the intra- and inter-observer precision error of repeated skeletal muscle measurements (30 images in duplicate). Precision error is reported as the root mean standard deviation (cm² ) and % coefficient of variation (%CV), our primary performance indicator was defined as a precision error <2%.

RESULTS

Five RDs completed CT training. RDs were from three clinical areas (cancer care (N=1), surgery (N=2), and critical care (N=1). RDs precision error was low and below the minimal acceptable error of <2%; intra-observer error was ≤1.8 cm² (range 0.8 - 1.8 cm² ) or ≤1.5% (range 0.8 - 1.5%) and inter-observer error was 1.2 cm² or 1.1%.

CONCLUSION

RDs can be trained to perform precise CT skeletal muscle measurements. Increasing capacity to assess skeletal muscle is a first step toward developing this technique for use in clinical practice.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

There is significant interest from both researchers and clinicians to undertake the measurement of skeletal muscle. Reduced skeletal muscle mass places individuals at risk of experiencing adverse outcomes and is a diagnostic criterion for disease-associated malnutrition and sarcopenia. In this study we piloted a training program in computed tomography (CT)-skeletal muscle assessments for RDs, and demonstrated after completion of the program RDs were able to perform CT skeletal muscle measurements with high precision. The addition of new tools to the comprehensive nutrition assessment tool box may benefit clinical practice in multiple ways including improved identification of patients with reduced skeletal muscle mass, individualization of interventions, and monitoring effectiveness of interventions over time. Other clinicians may also benefit from knowing about their patients' skeletal muscle mass to help identify risk and make treatment decisions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.