Relation of Disease with Standardized Phase Angle among Older Patients

Standardized phase angle: relationship with functionality, muscle mass and postoperative outcomes in surgical cancer patients

To evaluate the association of standardized phase angle (SPA) with nutritional status, functional parameters, and postoperative outcomes in surgical cancer patients. This prospective study includes 59 cancer patients from Pelotas (Brazil) admitted for elective cancer surgery. We obtained the phase angle through Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) and standardized it according to the population's reference values. We estimated the muscle mass using BIA for later calculation of the Skeletal Muscle Index (SMI) and performed handgrip strength (HGS) and gait speed (GS) tests. We used the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) to assess the nutritional status. Postoperative complications and duration of hospital stay were evaluated as the outcomes. The prevalence of malnutrition in the sample was 28.8%, according to ASG-PPP. SPA was statistically lower in patients with malnutrition, with lower HGS and reduced GS. For postoperative outcomes, patients with severe complications and those with prolonged hospitalization also had lower SPA values. The greater the number of functional alterations in patients, the lower the SPA value, mainly when associated with reduced muscle mass assessed by BIA, suggesting that muscle mass reduction plays an important role in the association between functional alterations and phase angle in patients with cancer. According to the parameters used in this study, low SPA value was associated with impaired nutritional and functional status and negative outcomes in the analyzed sample.

Phase Angle as a Nutritional Assessment Method in Patients with Hip Fractures: A Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Phase angle, which is associated with cellular health, has attracted attention as a noninvasive and objective method for nutritional assessment. However, the association between malnutrition and phase angle in older inpatients with hip fractures has not been reported. Therefore, this study investigated this association in older inpatients (aged ≥65 years) with hip fractures and determined the cutoff phase angle for determining malnutrition.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study retrospectively analyzed the data of 96 inpatients with hip fractures who were hospitalized in rehabilitation units after surgery (male, 29.4%; mean age, 82.4±6.2 years). Nutritional status was assessed using the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), with malnutrition defined as a GNRI ≥98. Bioelectrical impedance analysis was used to measure phase angles.

RESULTS

The phase angle was associated with malnutrition (B=-1.173; odds ratio=0.310; 95% confidence interval 0.58-0.83; p=0.015). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.71. The cutoff phase angle for malnutrition was 3.96° (sensitivity=0.85, specificity=0.63).

CONCLUSION

Phase angle could be an indicator of malnutrition in older inpatients with hip fractures. Our findings will help formulate rehabilitation strategies for these patients.

Role of phase angle in older adults with focus on the geriatric syndromes sarcopenia and frailty

Age-related changes in body composition reflect an increased risk for disease as well as disability. Bioimpedance analysis is a safe and inexpensive bed side method to measure body composition, but the calculation of body compartments with BIA is hampered in older adults. Phase angle, a raw parameter derived from bioimpedance analysis, is free from calculation-inherent errors. It declines with age and disease and is highly predictive of a variety of clinical outcomes as well as mortality. This review summarizes the current evidence linking the phase angle to geriatric syndromes such as malnutrition, sarcopenia and frailty and also investigates whether the phase angle reacts to interventions. Since the majority of studies show an association between the phase angle and these geriatric syndromes, a low phase angle is not suitable to exclusively indicate a specific condition. It does not inform on the underlying cause and as such, a low phase angle mainly indicates increased risk. Phase angle decline over time is reflected by deterioration of e.g. frailty status. It reacts to physical training and detraining, but studies investigating whether these induced changes are also associated with improved outcome are missing.

FOOD TOLERANCE AND NUTRITIONAL RISK AFTER SLEEVE GASTRECTOMY AND ROUX-EN-Y GASTRIC BYPASS IN ELDERLY PATIENTS WITH SEVERE OBESITY: A PROSPECTIVE, RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

BACKGROUND

Bariatric surgery is still controversial in elderly patients with severe obesity. Most publications focus on safety and early clinical outcomes. Food tolerance and nutritional postoperative risk is unknown for this population.

METHODS

Thirty-six elderly patients with severe obesity were recruited for an open-label randomized trial from September 2017 to May 2019 comparing laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) to Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass (LRYGB). Food tolerance was accessed by Quality of Alimentation (QoA) questionnaire and data on weight loss, body composition, and nutritional risk were collected between 6 and 24 months after surgery.

RESULTS

Comparing LSG to LRYGB patients, the latter had higher total weight loss (22% vs 31%, P=0.01) and excess weight loss (53% vs 68%, P=0.01). Food tolerance to eight food groups was similar between groups (14 vs 15 points, P=0.270), as Suter score (23 vs 25, P=0.238). Daily protein intake was below recommendation in both groups (40 vs 51 g/d, P=0.105). Nutritional risk, evaluated through Standardized Phase Angle (-1.48 vs -1.99, P=0.027), was worse for LRYGB group.

CONCLUSION

Food tolerance and adequacy of food consumption were similar in both groups. LRYGB patients had higher nutritional risk.

Differences According to Age in the Diagnostic Performance of Cardiac Biomarkers to Predict Frailty in Patients with Acute Heart Failure

Frailty has traditionally been studied in the elderly population but scarcely in younger individuals. The objective of the present study is to analyze differences according to age in the diagnostic performance of cardiac biomarkers to predict frailty in patients admitted to the hospital for acute heart failure (AHF). A frailty assessment was performed with the SPPB and FRAIL scales (score > 3). We included 201 patients who were divided according to age: those older and younger than 75 years. In the younger group, no biomarker was related to the presence of frailty. This was mainly determined by age and comorbidities. In the elderly group, NT-proBNP was significantly related to the presence of frailty, but none of the baseline characteristics were. The best cut-off point in the elderly group for NT-proBNP was 4000 pg/mL. The area under the curve (AUC) for proBNP for frailty detection was 0.62 in the elderly. Another similar frailty scale, the SPPB, also showed a similar AUC in this group; however, adding the NT-proBNP (one point if NT-proBNP < 4000 pg/mL), it showed a slightly higher yield (AUC 0.65). The addition of biomarkers could improve frailty detection in members of the elderly population who are admitted to the hospital for AHF.

Malnutrition-Inflammation Score VS Phase Angle in the Era of GLIM Criteria: A Cross-Sectional Study among Hemodialysis Patients in UAE

(1) Background: Malnutrition is prevalent in hemodialysis (HD) patients and is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of malnutrition using the malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS) and phase angle (PhA) and compare their concordance with the new Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria for the diagnosis of malnutrition. (2) Methods: Seventy HD patients were assessed. Malnutrition was diagnosed based on the GLIM criteria and MIS questionnaire. The agreement between the diagnostic tools (MIS, PhA derived from the bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and GLIM criteria) was assessed. The optimal gender-specific cutoff points were identified for the PhA according to the GLIM criteria. (3) Results: Almost half of the sample was diagnosed as malnourished according to the MIS (48.57%) and GLIM criteria (54.29%). A fair agreement was observed between the GLIM criteria, MIS (k = 0.202), and PhA (k = 0.279) among the malnourished patients. The PhA had better sensitivity but worse specificity compared to the MIS. The optimum cutoff points of PhA to detect malnutrition according to the GLIM criteria were a PhA value of ≤5.7° for males and ≤3.8° for females. (4) Conclusion: The MIS performed slightly better than PhA in the diagnosis of malnutrition among HD patients within the spectrum of the GLIM criteria.