Effect of nurse-led intensive nutritional intervention on nutritional risk, undernutrition and quality of life in hospitalized patients with Alzheimer disease: A randomized controlled study

Abstract

Objective To explore the effect of nurse-led intensive nutritional intervention on nutritional risk, undernutrition and quality of life in hospitalized Alzheimer disease (AD) patients. Methods A total of 170 hospitalized AD patients who met the criteria of the protocol were enrolled and divided randomly into two groups as study group (n=86) and control group (n=84). The two groups received nurse-led intensive nutritional intervention and routine nutritional management respectively for six weeks. Nutritional risk, undernutrition and quality of life were measured by nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS 2002) and quality of life-Alzheimer disease scale before and after the nutritional intervention. Results There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups. The suitable rate of NRS 2002 was 100%. After a 6-week intervention, the prevalence of nutritional risk (41.9% vs. 70.9%, P<0.001) and undernutrition (17.4% vs. 30.2%, P=0.049) decreased significantly in study group. The prevalence of nutritional risk was significantly lower in study group than in control group (41.9% vs. 64.3%, P=0.003). The score of quality of life in study group significantly increased (34.12±5.91 vs. 31.56±6.80, P=0.028) after the intervention, and was significantly higher than that of the control group (34.12±5.91 vs. 31.63±6.22, P=0.030). Conclusion The application of nurse-led intensive nutritional intervention can help to improve the nutritional status and quality of life in hospitalized AD patients. Key words: Alzheimer disease; Inpatients; Nurse-led intensive nutritional intervention; Nutritional risk; Quality of life