Nutritional Status In Nursing Home Residents Research Articles

Osteosarcopenic Adiposity and Nutritional Status in Older Nursing Home Residents during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The aim was to evaluate body composition and prevalence of osteosarcopenic adiposity (OSA) in nursing home residents (NHR) and to assess their nutritional status. This research builds on our pilot study (conducted prior COVID-19 pandemic) that revealed high OSA prevalence and poor nutritional status in NHR. The current study included newly recruited n = 365 NHR; 296 women, 69 men, aged 84.3 ± 5.6 and 83.1 ± 7.3 years, respectively. Body composition was measured by bioelectrical impedance BIA-ACC®, yielding total bone mass along with all components of lean and adipose tissues. The Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) was used to assess nutritional status. Participants reported about their present/past diseases, including COVID-19. Mean duration of stay in nursing homes was 46.3 ± 47.0 months. Approximately 30% of participants had COVID-19 prior (median 6.7 months) to entering the study. OSA was diagnosed in 70.8% women and 47.8% men (p < 0.001). Malnourishment was detected in 5.8% women and 6.2% men while the risk of malnourishment was found in 30.8% women and 30.0% men. No significant differences in age, body composition parameters, prevalence of OSA, malnutrition/risk for malnutrition were found in participants who had COVID-19 compared to those who did not. Regression analysis showed that intramuscular adipose tissue (%) was significantly positively, while bone mass was significantly negatively associated with OSA. In this population, the high prevalence of OSA coincided with the high prevalence of malnutrition/risk of malnutrition. Such unfavorable body composition status is more likely a consequence of potentially poor diet quality in nursing homes, rather than of health hazards caused by COVID-19.

Does undernutrition still prevail among nursing home residents?

During recent years public awareness about malnutrition has increased and collective initiatives have been undertaken. Simultaneously, the number of older adults is increasing, and the elderly care has been placed under pressure. The aim was to assess the nutritional situation and one-year mortality among nursing home (NH) residents, and compare with historical data. Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF), ADL Barthel Index (BI), Short Portable Mental Status Questionnaire (SPMSQ), EQ-5D, Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and blood samples were collected from 172 NH residents (86.3 ± 8 years, 70% women). Mortality data was taken from NH records. Nutritional data from 166 NH residents (83.8 ± 8 years, 61% women) examined in 1996 was retrieved for historical comparison. The prevalence of malnutrition was 30%, as compared to 71% in the historical data set, corresponding to a present average body mass index of 23.7 ± 5.1 compared with 22.3 ± 4.2 kg/m(2) (p < 0.01). Reduced nutritional status was associated with decline in function (p < 0.001) and cognition (p < 0.01). One-year mortality was 24%. Regression analyses indicated high age (OR = 1.09, 95% CI (1.03-1.16)), high scores in CCI (OR = 1.54, (1.19-1.99)), low BMI (OR = 2.47, (1.14-5.38)) and malnutrition (OR = 2.37, (1.07-5.26)) to be independently associated with one-year mortality. Malnutrition still prevails and is associated with deteriorated cognition, function and increased mortality. A possible improvement in nutritional status in NH residents over time was observed.