Associated factors of different nutrition indicators in German nursing home residents: comparative results of a multicenter cross-sectional study

Instruments and Warning Signs for Identifying and Evaluating the Frequency of Adverse Events in Intermediate and Long-Term Care Centres: A Narrative Systematic Review

INTRODUCTION

There is a lack of data about adverse events (AE) in intermediate and long-term care centers (ILCC). We aimed to synthesize the available scientific evidence on instruments used to identify and characterize AEs. We also aimed to describe the most common adverse events in ILCCs.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A narrative systematic review of the literature was conducted according to Prisma recommendations. The PubMed database was searched for articles published between 2000 and 2021. Two reviewers independently screened and reviewed the studies through blind and independent review. We evaluated bias risk with Cochrane's risk of bias tool. Disagreements were resolved by consensus. Discrepancies that were not resolved by discussion were discussed with a third reviewer. Descriptive data was extracted and qualitative content analysis was performed.

RESULTS

We found 2191 articles. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 272 papers were screened by title and abstract, and 66 studies were selected for full review. The instruments used to identify AEs were mostly tools to identify specific AEs or risks of AEs (94%), the remaining 6% were multidimensional. The most frequent categories detected medication-related AEs (n=26, 40%); falls (n=7, 11%); psychiatric AEs (6.9%); malnutrition (4.6%), and infections (4.6%). The studies that used multidimensional tools refer to frailty, dependency, or lack of energy as predictors of AEs. However, they do not take into account the importance of detecting AEs. We found 2-11 adverse drug events (ADE) per resident/month. We found a prevalence of falls (12.5%), delirium (9.6-89%), pain (68%), malnutrition (2-83%), and pressure ulcers (3-30%). Urinary tract infections, lower respiratory tract infections, skin and soft tissue infections, and gastroenteritis were the most common infections in this setting. Transitions between different care settings (from hospitals to ILCC and vice versa) expose AE risk.

CONCLUSION

There are many instruments to detect AEs in ILCC, and most have a specific approach. Adverse events affect a significant proportion of patients in ILCC, the nurse-sensitive outcomes, nosocomial infections, and adverse drug events are among the most common. The systematic review was registered with Prospero, ID: CRD42022348168.

Characteristics of patients with cancer in European long-term care facilities

Purpose

Up to 26% of residents in nursing homes (NHs) are affected by cancer. Their care represents a challenge, because NHs are not usually considered a setting focused on oncologic management and care. The aim of this paper is to describe socio-demographic and clinical features of patients with cancer residing in European NHs.

Methods

Cross-sectional study based on data from the Services and Health for Elderly in Long TERm care (SHELTER) study. Participants were assessed through the interRAI-LTCF, which includes cancer assessment.

Results

Among 4140 participants (mean age 83.4 years; female 73%), 442 (10.7%) had cancer. Patients with cancer had a higher prevalence of do-not-resuscitate directives compared to those without cancer (21.1% vs 16.5%, p = 0.019). Variables directly associated with cancer were male sex (adj OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.36–2.05), pain (adj OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.16–1.77), fatigue (adj OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.01–1.55), polypharmacy (adj OR 1.59, 95% CI 1.21–2.08) and falls (adj OR. 1.30, 95% CI 1.01–1.67). Dementia was inversely associated with cancer (adj OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.58–0.94). Symptomatic drugs such as opioids (23.5% vs 12.2, p < .001), NSAIDS (7.2% vs 3.9%, p = 0.001), antidepressants (39.1% vs 33.8%, p = 0.026) and benzodiazepines (40.3% vs 34.3, p = 0.012) were all prescribed more in participants with cancer compared to those without cancer.

Conclusions

Cancer patients are prevalent in European NHs and they show peculiar characteristics. Studies are needed to evaluate the impact of a supportive care approach on the management of NHs residents with cancer throughout all its phases, until the end-of-life care

[Malnutrition in geriatric patients: risk factor residential nursing home?]

Hintergrund

Mangelernährung ist ein nach wie vor herausforderndes Problem in der Krankenhausversorgung, speziell bei geriatrischen Patient*innen. Dennoch findet das Thema in der Praxis nur wenig Beachtung.

Ziel und Methodik

Im Zentrum der vorliegenden Datenanalyse steht die Fragestellung, inwiefern sich der Ernährungsstatus von zuhause lebenden geriatrischen Patient*innen, von in der stationären Pflege lebenden, unterscheidet. Hierfür wurden Daten aus insgesamt 4 Erhebungen (3-mal nutritionDay plus eine zusätzliche Erhebung) zusammengefasst. Es konnten 258 Patient*innen (≥ 65 Jahre) in die Auswertung aufgenommen werden; ein Mangelernährungsrisiko wurde anhand des Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), eine manifeste Mangelernährung anhand der ESPEN-Kriterien festgestellt.

Ergebnisse

Zu Hause leben 86,0 % (n = 222) der Patient*innen, in stationären Pflegeeinrichtungen 14,0 % (n = 36). Die in der stationären Pflege lebenden Patient*innen weisen eine ausgeprägtere Morbidität auf, sichtbar anhand der größeren Anzahl an in der Klinik verbrachten Nächten in den letzten 12 Monaten (Mdn 10,0 vs. 5; p 0,007), der höheren Anzahl der Medikamente (Mdn 9,0 vs. 7,0; p 0,002) sowie stärkeren Einschränkungen beim Gehen (Mdn 3,0 vs. 1,0; p < 0,001). Sie sind signifikant älter (Mdn 86,0 vs. 78,0 Jahre; p < 0,001) und weisen einen tendenziell höheren Anteil manifester Mangelernährung auf (35,7 %; n = 10 vs. 20,1 %; n = 40; p 0,062).

Schlussfolgerung

Sowohl zu Hause als auch in der stationären Langzeitpflege lebende geriatrische Patient*innen weisen einen erheblichen Anteil an Mangelernährung auf. Ein zuverlässig durchgeführtes Screening zu Beginn und im Verlauf des Klinikaufenthaltes ist in jedem Fall dringend erforderlich, da nur so die Betroffenen erkannt werden. Ein regelmäßiges Screening im ambulanten Bereich wie auch der stationären Langzeitpflege ist ebenso erforderlich.

Malnutrition in an elderly population without cognitive impairment living in nursing homes in Spain: study of prevalence using the Mini Nutritional Assessment test

BACKGROUND

The prevalence of malnutrition in institutionalized elderly people is generally high. A good nutritional status is related to a decrease in mortality and costs of morbidity treatments. Therefore, it is essential to know the nutritional status in order to establish action policies. However, there are not enough studies about malnutrition in institutionalized elderly in Spain.

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this survey were to assess the prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition in elderly people living in nursing homes in the province of Albacete (Spain) using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®) test, to analyze their distribution according to age, gender and different nursing home features, and to identify the MNA items that best predict the MNA total score.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with data collected from 895 elders living in 34 nursing homes all over the province of Albacete, including facilities located in the main city, towns and villages. Prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition were assessed using the MNA full form test. Groups of malnutrition were compared by using mean MNA scores. Stepwise linear regression analyses were used to identify the items in the MNA which best predicted the MNA total scores.

RESULTS

According to the MNA, the prevalence of malnutrition among elderly people staying in Albacete province nursing homes was 2.8%, and the prevalence of being at risk of malnutrition was 37.3%. MNA total score was significantly higher in men (24.3 ± 2.9) than in women (23.7 ± 3.3) and significantly higher in residents living in nursing homes located in towns and villages (24.2 ± 2.8) than in those who were living in institutions placed in the main city (23.7 ± 3.4). The MNA score was found to decrease with increasing age, except for individuals aged 90 years or older.

CONCLUSIONS

The prevalence of malnutrition and risk of malnutrition was 40.1%. Female gender and living in institutions located in the main city were identified as malnutrition risk factors. In general, an increase in malnutrition with age was detected, except for people in the last years of their lives. The MNA questions that best predicted the nutritional status were the ones relating to the anthropometrical and self-assessments.

Risk factors associated with malnutrition in older adults living in Italian nursing homes: a cross-sectional study

Malnutrition is a significant problem among older adults living in nursing homes: Malnourished residents are at increased risk of hospitalization and mortality. Multiple factors determine malnutrition, and the extant literature has focused attention on individual factors such as aging, sex, and dependence in activities of daily living. However, little evidence is available on factors influenced by nursing care. Exploring the relationship between the nutritional status of nursing home residents and certain individual factors, including those potentially influenced by nursing care, was the aim of this cross-sectional study. A total of 186 nursing home residents was enrolled in the study; in addition, 18 nurses were involved in the data collection process. Twenty-one percent of the residents had an adequate nutritional status, 43% were at risk of malnutrition, and 36% were malnourished. Multivariate analysis revealed that those independent factors associated with malnutrition, once adjusted for age, sex, and dependence in activities of daily living, were: having had a stroke, being dependent in activities of daily living, eating half or less of food provided at mealtimes, and having their weight checked only every 3 months or longer. Nursing care projects may be effective in reducing the risk of malnutrition among nursing home residents. However, further research is needed to develop knowledge of the factors associated with malnutrition and those influenced by care delivered in nursing homes.