Paediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score Research Articles

The malnutrition screening tool STRONGKIDS performed better than other screening tools for children hospitalised in Egypt.

To compare the accuracy of three different screening tools, namely, the Paediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS), Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP), and Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth (STRONGKIDS), in assessing malnutrition risk in hospitalised children. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 300 children aged 6 months to 15 years at Alexandria University Children's Hospital, Egypt. The sensitivity and specificity of each tool were calculated to detect acute and chronic malnutrition, and an agreement test was conducted between the nutritional screening tools. The patients were classified into different nutritional risk groups, and their classification was compared with anthropometric measures and clinical variables, such as the length of hospital stay (LOS). The prevalence of stunting and wasting on admission was found to be 3% and 6.6%, respectively. Children categorised as high-risk on admission had a longer LOS than those at low risk. The agreement test between the STAMP score and STRONGKIDS score on admission showed the most significant agreement, and STRONGKIDS had the best accuracy in detecting acute and chronic malnutrition. The comparison of the three screening tools revealed that STRONGKIDS exhibited the best accuracy in detecting acute and chronic malnutrition.

Evaluation of malnutrition and screening tools in hospitalized children

Detecting malnutrition and its related risk factors are crucial, in hospitalized children. Anthropometric z scores are used to assess malnutrition. Screening tools also aim to detect the presence of malnutrition and the developing risk of malnutrition in hospitalized children to determine who may benefit from nutritional support. Therefore, the aims of the study are to detect malnutrition and its related demographic and clinical risk factors in hospitalized children and determining the sensitivity of Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics (STAMP) and Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS) screening tools. A total of 130 hospitalized children aged between 0 and 18 years were included in to study. A survey including demographic and clinical characteristics, STAMP and PYMS were applied to parents of the children. Patients were classified into nutritional risk groups through screening tools. Anthropometric measurements (body weight, length/height, and middle upper arm circumference (MUAC) of the children were taken. Body mass index-for-age and height-for-age z scores were calculated to assess acute and chronic malnutrition prevalence. MUAC-for-age z scores were calculated as well. To detect independent risk factors for acute and chronic malnutrition multivariable logistic regression models were constructed. A total of 14.6% of hospitalized children had acute malnutrition, 21.5% of children had chronic malnutrition and 27.7% of them had low MUAC standard deviation score (SDS) (less than-2). The independent risk factors for acute malnutrition were younger maternal age at birth and long length of stay (p<0.05). The independent risk factors for chronic malnutrition were being female, younger maternal age at birth, longer illness duration and having urological or allergy and immunological diseases (p<0.05). However, MUAC for age SDS groups were not related to any demographic and clinical factors, in children of all ages (p>0.05). Regarding the screening tools, PYMS displayed 100% sensitivity against acute malnutrition. While PYMS displayed better sensitivity to identify acute malnutrition than STAMP, STAMP was more sensitive than PYMS to detect chronic malnutrition and low MUAC SDS. Low MUAC for age SDS was not related to any demographic and clinical factors, in hospitalized children of all ages, unlike acute and chronic malnutrition, in this study. Pediatric screening tools mainly PYMS did not have high sensitivity to detect chronic malnutrition and low MUAC SDS, in hospitalized children. Therefore, the tools have to be used along with z scores of anthropometric parameters.

Comparison of Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool (PNST) With the Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS) in Hospitalized Turkish Children

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic accuracy of Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool (PNST) and Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS) in Turkish pediatric inpatients. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 996 inpatients aged 1 to 16 years. The prevalence of malnutrition was 31.8%. The PNST identified 28.7% (original cutoffs) and 62.6% (adjusted cutoffs) of patients as at risk, whereas PYMS categorized 44.3% as at high risk of malnutrition. The sensitivity of PNST with original cutoffs (52.1%) was lower than that of PYMS (85.2%) and PNST with adjusted cutoffs (83.3%), especially for acute malnutrition (67.6% vs 95.3% and 94.6%, respectively). Considering the importance of early identification and treatment of malnutrition, PYMS and PNST with adjusted cutoffs may be useful as a screening tool in this population.

Comparação de quatro ferramentas diferentes de triagem de risco nutricional em crianças hospitalizadas

ABSTRACT Objective: Early detection of malnutrition risk in hospitalized children can improve health outcomes and quality of life; however, the number of studies where the pediatric screening tool is appropriate for Turkish children is limited. Therefore, this article aims to determine the prevalence of malnutrition risk in pediatric patients evaluated with Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score, and Simple Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool with original and adjusted cutoffs and to evaluate which pediatric screening tool is appropriate for Turkish children. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, four published nutritional risk screening tools (Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score, Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool) were applied to pediatric inpatients (n=604) aged 1 month to 17 years, admitted to a pediatric ward for at least 24 hours. Results: Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool with adjusted cutoffs had the greatest recognition rate (94.2%) of acute malnutrition. Having a high nutritional risk by Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score was associated with an increased risk of acute (OR: 6.57 for Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, 5.84 for Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, and 20.35 for Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score) and chronic malnutrition (OR: 1.27 for Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, 3.28 for Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, and 1.72 for Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score). Classifying the at-risk category by the Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool was related to raised odds of malnutrition (OR: 2.64 for original and 5.24 for adjusted cutoffs). This positive association was also observed for acute (OR: 4.07 for original cutoffs, and 28.01 for adjusted cutoffs) and chronic malnutrition (OR: 1.14 for original cutoffs, and 1.67 for adjusted cutoffs). Conclusion: Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool with adjusted cutoffs and Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score have higher diagnostic accuracy than other screening tools in assessing the nutritional status of hospitalized Turkish children and detecting children, particularly with acute malnutrition.

Value of Nutritional Screening Tools Versus Anthropometric Measurements in Evaluating Nutritional Status of Children in a Low/Middle-Income Country.

Pediatric patients in low-income countries are at a high risk of malnutrition. Numerous screening tools have been developed to detect the risk of malnutrition, including the Subjective Global Nutritional Assessment (SGNA), Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS), Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics (STAMP), and Screening Tool for Risk of Nutritional Status and Growth (STRONGkids). However, anthropometry remains the main tool for assessing malnutrition. We aimed to identify the value of four nutritional screening tools versus anthropometry for evaluating the nutritional status of children. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 1,000 children aged 1-12 years who visited the outpatient clinic of Cairo University Pediatric Hospital. Each participant was evaluated using anthropometric measurements (weight, length/height, and weight for length/height) as well as the PYMS, STAMP, STRONGkids, and SGNA screening tools. The sensitivities and specificities of these four tools were assessed using anthropometry as the gold standard. Of the patients, 1.7% were underweight, 10.2% were wasted, and 35% were stunted. STRONGkids demonstrated the highest sensitivity (79.4%) and a high specificity (80.2%) for detecting malnutrition compared with weight for height, followed by STAMP, which demonstrated lower sensitivity (73.5%) but higher specificity (81.4%). PYMS demonstrated the lowest sensitivity (66.7%) and the highest specificity (93.5%), whereas SAGA demonstrated higher sensitivity (77.5%) and lower specificity (85.4%) than PYMS. The use of nutritional screening tools to evaluate the nutritional status of children is valuable and recommended as a simple and rapid method for identifying the risk of malnutrition in pediatric patients.

The Role of the Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS), Neutrophil-to-Lymphocyte and Platelet-to-Lymphocyte Ratios in Malnutrition Prediction of Hospitalized Children.

Malnutrition in hospitalized children represents a significant burden with occasionally detrimental consequences. In this retrospective analysis of pediatric patients aged one to 16 years old, who were hospitalized in the children’s cantonal hospital of Aarau, Switzerland, we investigated the utilization of PYMS (Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score) as a routine screening tool for malnutrition in pediatric inpatients. Additionally, we explored the correlation between PYMS and NLR (neutrophil–lymphocyte ratio) and PLR (platelet–lymphocyte ratio), which are two novel biomarkers. Various parameters were analyzed from the medical records of the patients. Most of the sample (n = 211, 77.3%) was characterized by a low PYMS of 0–1 point. Greater NLR and PLR values were significantly associated with greater PYMS (p = 0.030 and p = 0.004, respectively). ROC (receiver operating characteristic curves) analysis revealed that PLR had a significant predictive ability for having PYMS > 1 (AUC = 0.59; 95% CI: 0.51–0.68; p = 0.024). The optimal cut-off was 151 with sensitivity of 51.6% (95% CI: 38.6–64.5%) and specificity of 67.3% (95% CI: 60.5–73.6%). Furthermore, 37% of the children (n = 101) yielded a PLR over 151. Our results support a promising value of PLR as a predictive marker for moderate to severe malnutrition in hospitalized children.

Comparison of three different nutrition screening tools for pediatric inpatients

Early detection of children at risk of developing malnutrition during hospitalization prevents the development of complications. This study aims to determine the malnutrition risk of pediatric inpatients by using three different nutrition screening tools and to evaluate the reliability/sensitivity of the screening tools. This cross-sectional study included 176 children who were 1-16 years of age and were admitted to the pediatrics service of a second-line hospital. Body weight and height were used to evaluate the nutrition status of children. Age- and sex-specific z-score values for height for age (HFA), weight for age (WFA), and body mass index for age (BFA) were indicators of malnutrition. The Screening Tool for Risk of Impaired Nutritional Status and Growth (STRONGkids), Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS), and Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool (PNST) were used under the responsibility of pediatricians and dietitians to evaluate the risk of malnutrition in children. At admission, according to the HFA, BFA, and WFA SD scores (SDSs), the incidence of malnutrition in children was 8.5%, 14.8%, and 6.3%, respectively. Three screening tools determined that WFA SDSs were significantly higher in children without malnutrition risk than in those at risk of malnutrition (P<0.05). PYMS revealed a relatively higher sensitivity of 90.9% and 84.6% for WFA and BFA, respectively, and PNST revealed a relatively higher sensitivity of 88.9% for HFA. PYMS and PNST are suitable for use in malnutrition risk assessment in pediatric inpatients because of the screening tools' high sensitivity.

Возможности реализации скрининговых методов оценки нутритивного риска у детей с неврологической патологией

Objective. Comparative evaluation and study of the effectiveness of using different nutritional risk screening tools in children with neurological pathology. Patients and methods. This study included 105 children with neurological pathology (epilepsy, cerebral palsy, congenital anomalies of the nervous system), among whom were 50 (47.6%) boys and 55 (52.4%) girls aged 1 to 17 years (7.8 ± 4.9 years). Anthropometric indices were assessed and questionnaires using nutritional risk screening tools were conducted, followed by calculation of their sensitivity and specificity. STRONGkids (Screening Tool Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth), PYMS (Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score), and STAMP (Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics) were used. Results. Assessment of anthropometric indices (weight-for-height, BMI-for-age, and height-for-age Z-scores) indicated malnutrition in 5 to 15 children (4.8-14.3%), depending on the evaluation criteria. According to the screening results, all patients were classified as high and medium risk of malnutrition, and 94 (89.5%) children required nutritional care according to STRONGkids, 38 (36.2%) children – according to PYMS, and 104 (99%) children – according to STAMP. The most sensitive screening tool was STAMP with a sensitivity score of 89.5% as compared with STRONGkids and PYMS (21.1% and 31.6%, respectively). Conclusion. The results of this work demonstrate the advantages of the STAMP tool in assessing the nutritional status of children with neurological pathology, given its higher efficacy in this group of patients, and the need for further research to develop practical recommendations. Key words: children, nutrient deficiency, nutritional risk screening tools

Use of the pediatric yorkhill malnutrition score screening tool in determining the malnutrition risk of hospitalized children

Rationale: This study aims to use the Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS), which is a nutritional screening tool, in determining the malnutrition risk, which is very important to hospitalized children.

PENGARUH PENYULUHAN PYMS (PEDIATRIC YORKHILL MALNUTRITION SCORE) TERHADAP PENGETAHUAN TENAGA KESEHATAN DI PUSKESMAS BIARO KABUPATEN AGAM

&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;PYMS (Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score) is the most appropriate tool, efficient, feasible, easy to use, easy to integrate into clinical practice and requires a short time to detect nutritional status in toddlers. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of PYMS (Paediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score) counseling on the knowledge of health workers at the Biaro Health Center, Agam Regency.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;The population in this study were health workers at the Biro Public Health Center with a total sampling of 27 health workers. This type of research uses a one group pre-test and post-test design without control. Data collection is carried out directly on the respondents by using a questionnaire. Data processing for bivariate analysis with Wilcoxon test. The results of the univariate analysis showed that before being given counseling, more than half had sufficient knowledge as many as 14 (51.9%), and after being given counseling that more than half had good knowledge were 14 (51.9%). The results of bivariate analysis with the Wilcoxon test obtained p-value 0.000 or p &amp;lt;0.05, thus there is an influence of knowledge on counseling. With the understanding of health workers on the use of PYMS (Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score).&lt;/em&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

Malnutrition in Hospitalised Children-An Evaluation of the Efficacy of Two Nutritional Screening Tools.

Nutritional risk screening (NRS) is not yet established in many clinical settings. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of two NRS tools; the Paediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS) and the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP), compared to the global dietitians’ clinical judgment. The goal of this study was also to estimate the prevalence of nutritional risk in Greek paediatric patients. Overall, 1506 children, 1–16 years, from paediatric and surgical wards of two Greek hospitals were included. NRS was performed using PYMS and STAMP based either on World Health Organization (WHOGC) or Hellenic growth charts (HGC). The first 907 children were also referred to dietitians who categorized children in low, medium and high nutritional risk according to their global clinical judgment. PYMS, either based on WHOGC or HGC, showed better agreement with dietitians’ feedback (kPYMS_WHO = 0.47; 95%CI: 0.41–0.52, kPYMS_HGC = 0.48; 95%CI: 0.43–0.53) compared to STAMP (kSTAMP_WHO = 0.28; 95%CI: 0.23–0.33, kSTAMP_HGC = 0.26; 95%CI: 0.21–0.32). PYMS also showed the best diagnostic accuracy compared to STAMP in paediatrics and surgical wards separately. Moreover, the PYMS showed similar sensitivity to the STAMP (WHOGC: 82% vs. 84.4%), but a higher positive predictive value (WHOGC: 58.2 vs. 38.7). Using PYMS, high and medium malnutrition risk was observed at 14.9%, and 13.1% of children, respectively. Almost 28% of hospitalised children were at nutritional risk. Children in hospitals should be screened with effective and feasible NRS tools such as PYMS.

Comparison of malnutrition and malnutrition screening tools in pediatric oncology patients: A cross-sectional study

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition, to compare nutritional evaluation tools, and to highlight the importance of nutritional status in pediatric oncology patients. MethodsThis study evaluated the nutritional status, based on height, weight, and midupper arm circumference, of 170 patients ages 5 months to 18 years who were hospitalized at the Ege University Hospital Pediatric Oncology Clinic. The prevalence of malnutrition was determined using the malnutrition screening tools, STRONGkids (SK) and Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS). Correlations, sensitivity, specificity, and the positive and negative predictive values between the screening tools were calculated. ResultsIn all, 68.2% of the patients were diagnosed with a solid tumor. According to SK, 59.4% had a moderate risk of malnutrition, and 40.6% had a high risk. According to PYMS, 30.6% of patients had a low to moderate risk of malnutrition, and 69.4% had a high risk of malnutrition. Minimal agreement was noted between SK and PYMS (Kappa value: 0.40 and 0.18, respectively). The sensitivity of PYMS was higher than that of SK (92.68 and 78.05, respectively). In total, 22.9% of the patients had a body mass index of <5%, and 21.2% had a midupper arm circumference of <5. ConclusionsThe present findings show that, in general, pediatric oncology patients have a high risk of malnutrition. Although SK and PYMS do not differ significantly, PYMS has higher sensitivity for detecting malnutrition. The nutritional status of pediatric oncology patients should be monitored using appropriate screening techniques throughout their treatment.

Use of standardized body composition measurements and malnutrition screening tools to detect malnutrition risk and predict clinical outcomes in children with chronic conditions

Better tools are needed to diagnose and identify children at risk of clinical malnutrition. We aimed to compare body composition (BC) and malnutrition screening tools (MSTs) for detecting malnutrition on admission; and examine their ability to predict adverse clinical outcomes [increased length of stay (LOS) and complications] in complex pediatric patients. This was a prospective study in children 5-18 y old admitted to a tertiary pediatric hospital (n=152). MSTs [Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS), Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics (STAMP), and Screening Tool for Risk of Impaired Nutritional Status and Growth (STRONGkids)] were completed on admission. Weight, height, and BC [fat mass (FM) and lean mass (LM) by DXA] were measured (n=118). Anthropometry/BC and MSTs were compared with each other and with clinical outcomes. Subjects were significantly shorter with low LM compared to reference data. Depending on the diagnostic criteria used, 3%-17% were classified as malnourished. Agreement between BC/anthropometric parameters and MSTs was poor. STAMP and STRONGkids identified children with low weight, LM, and height. PYMS, and to a lesser degree STRONGkids, identified children with increased LOS, as did LM compared with weight or height. Patients with complications had lower mean±SD LM SD scores (-1.38±1.03 compared with -0.74±1.40, P<0.05). In multivariable models, PYMS high risk and low LM were independent predictors of increased LOS (OR: 3.76; 95% CI: 1.36, 10.35 and OR: 3.69; 95% CI: 1.24, 10.98, respectively). BMI did not predict increased LOS or complications. LM appears better than weight and height for predicting adverse clinical outcomes in this population. BMI was a poor diagnostic parameter. MSTs performed differently in associations to BC/anthropometry and clinical outcomes. PYMS and LM provided complementary information regarding LOS. Studies on specific patient populations may further clarify the use of these tools and measurements.

Nationwide "Pediatric Nutrition Day" survey on the nutritional status of hospitalized children in South Korea.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the nutritional status and prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized children at admission and during hospitalization in South Korea.SUBJECTS/METHODSThis first cross-sectional nationwide “Pediatric Nutrition Day (pNday)” survey was conducted among 872 hospitalized children (504 boys, 368 girls; 686 medical, 186 surgical) from 23 hospitals in South Korea. Malnutrition risk was screened using the Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS) and the Screening Tool Risk on Nutritional status and Growth. Nutritional status was assessed by z-scores of weight-for-age for underweight, weight-for-height for wasting, and height-for-age for stunting as well as laboratory tests.RESULTSAt admission, of the 872 hospitalized children, 17.2% were underweight, and the prevalence of wasting and stunting was 20.2% and 17.3%, respectively. During hospitalization till pNday, 10.8% and 19.6% experienced weight loss and decreased oral intake, respectively. During the aforementioned period, fasting was more prevalent in surgical patients (7.5%) than in medical patients (1.6%) (P < 0.001). According to the PYMS, 34.3% and 30% of the children at admission and on pNday, respectively, had a high-risk of malnutrition, requiring consultation with the nutritional support team (NST). However, only 4% were actually referred to the NST during hospitalization.CONCLUSIONSMalnutrition was prevalent at admission and during hospitalization in pediatric patients, with many children experiencing weight loss and poor oral intake. To improve the nutritional status of hospitalized children, it is important to screen and identify all children at risk of malnutrition and refer malnourished patients to the multidisciplinary NST for proper nutritional interventions.

Concordância entre ferramentas de triagem nutricional pediátrica em indivíduos com síndrome nefrótica

AIMS: To evaluate the concordance between three validated nutritional screening tools for pediatrics among themselves and the correlation with the anthropometric parameters of patients hospitalized with nephrotic syndrome.METHOD: Cross-sectional study with children and adolescents of both sexes hospitalized in the pediatric ward of a university hospital and diagnosed with nephrotic syndrome. Three nutritional screening instruments were applied: Screening of Risk for Nutritional Status and Growth (STRONGkids), Paediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (PYMS) and Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Paediatrics (STAMP). Data on weight, height and upper arm perimeter was collected, and three nutritional screening tools were applied: The estimate of relative agreement between the instruments was evaluated with the weighted Kappa test and the correlations with anthropometric parameters were assessed with the Spearman’s Correlation Test.RESULTS: We evaluated 11 patients, with a minimum age of 2 years and a maximum of 10 years. Screening tools detected prevalence of medium and high nutritional risk. Moderate agreement (k=0.47) was observed between PYMS and STAMP and there was no correlation between the screening tools’ result and the anthropometric data. Regarding the anthropometric parameters, 100% of the participants had adequate weight for age, 63.6% of the participants were diagnosed with normal weight by the BMI/Age index and 81.8% had adequate height for age according to the index Height/Age. After analysis of the upper arm perimeter, 27.3% were at risk of malnutrition.CONCLUSIONS: Despite the fact that are no recommendations for use of pediatric nutritional screening tools specific to each clinical situation, two of the three screening tools analyzed in this study demonstrated moderate agreement between them. However, the tested tools did not reflect the anthropometric nutritional status of the evaluated population.

Validity and Reliability of Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tools for Hospital, Outpatient, and Community Settings: A 2018 Evidence Analysis Center Systematic Review

BackgroundNutrition screening tools are used to identify risk of malnutrition or change in risk of malnutrition. However, it is unclear which tools have demonstrated high validity, reliability, and agreement. ObjectiveOur aim was to conduct a systematic review of valid and reliable pediatric nutrition screening tools for identifying malnutrition risk (under- or overnutrition), and to determine whether there are differences in validity and reliability according to users of the tools. MethodsA literature search using Medline, Embase, and CINAHL databases was conducted to identify relevant research published between 1995 and May 2017 examining validity and reliability of nutrition screening tools in the pediatric population. A multidisciplinary workgroup developed eligibility criteria, data were extracted and summarized, risk of bias was assessed, and evidence strength was graded, according to a standard process. ResultsTwenty-nine studies met inclusion criteria. Thirteen pediatric nutrition screening tools designed for various settings were included in the review (seven inpatient/hospital, three outpatient or specialty setting, and three community). The most frequently examined tools were the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth (13 studies each), and Paediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score (nine studies). No tools demonstrated high validity. Reliability and agreement were reported infrequently. ConclusionsNutrition screening tools with good/strong or fair evidence and moderate validity included the Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, and Paediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score in the inpatient setting and Nutrition Risk Screening Tool for Children and Adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis in the specialty setting. No tools in the community setting met these criteria. While differences in validity and reliability measures among tool users were found, the significance of these findings is unclear. Limitations included few studies examining each tool, heterogeneity between studies examining a common tool, and lack of tools that included currently recommended indicators to identify pediatric malnutrition.

Assessment of Nutritional Status and Malnutrition Risk at Diagnosis and Over a 6-Month Treatment Period in Pediatric Oncology Patients With Hematologic Malignancies and Solid Tumors.

In total, 74 pediatric oncology patients with hematologic malignancies (n=56) or solid tumors (n=18) and a median age of 78.5 months were included in this prospective study. The aims were to assess malnutrition risks and nutritional status over a 6-month treatment period measured at regular intervals. The rate of patients with high risk for malnutrition at diagnosis was 28.4% by Screening Tool for Risk of Impaired Nutritional Status and Growth tool and 36.5% by Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score. Body mass index (BMI) z-scores at diagnosis showed 12.3% undernutrition (<-2 SD) and 6.8% overnutrition (>2 SD), which changed to 6.7% and 11.1% at the sixth month, respectively. Malnutrition (BMI<5th age percentile) was detected in 13.7% at diagnosis. Despite an initial deterioration noted in BMI, BMI for age percentile, and z-scores at month 1 in all malignancy subgroups (at month 3 for acute lymphoblastic leukemia), the scores improved later on. There was an increase in weight from baseline in 88.2% of patients over 6 months. This study revealed a decrease in the prevalence of undernutrition and malnutrition over a 6-month treatment period with improved anthropometrics despite an initial deterioration in all malignancy subgroups and even in patients with high risk for malnutrition at baseline screening. Solid tumors and acute lymphoblastic leukemia seem to be associated with higher likelihood of undernutrition and overnutrition, respectively, during treatment.

Screening and assessment tools for early detection of malnutrition in hospitalised children: a systematic review of validation studies

ObjectiveThe aim of the present study was to identify all currently available screening and assessment tools for detection of malnutrition in hospitalised children, and to identify the most useful tools...

Validity of Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score to detect pediatric hospitalized malnutrition

Validity of Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score to detect pediatric hospitalized malnutrition

Comparison of four nutritional screening tools for Korean hospitalized children.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESSeveral nutritional screening tools were recently developed to screen the risk of malnutrition in hospitalized children, but have not been validated in Asia. We compared four nutritional screening tools for pediatric patients in evaluating nutritional risks in newly hospitalized children.SUBJECTS/METHODSMedical records of newly admitted pediatric patients between June 2016 and May 2017 at two tertiary hospitals were reviewed. Initial information by nurses and hospital records by doctors on baseline demographic, clinical, and anthropometric data at admission were collected in all subjects. Nutritional risks were evaluated using four nutritional screening tools including the pediatric nutritional risk score (PNRS), the screening tool for the assessment of malnutrition in pediatrics (STAMP), the paediatric Yorkhill malnutrition score (PYMS), and the screening tools for risk of nutritional status and growth (STRONGkids).RESULTSA total of 559 patients (310 boys and 249 girls, mean age 6.3 ± 5.5 years) were recruited. Patients in medical and surgical departments were 469 (83.9%) and 90 (16.1%), respectively. The prevalence of patients at risk of malnutrition were 31.1% for low risk, 52.2% for medium risk, and 16.6% for high risk by PNRS; 11.4%, 39.7%, and 48.8% by STAMP; 26.5%, 25.4%, and 48.1% by PYMS; and 35.6%, 58.9%, and 5.5% by STRONGkids. PNRS versus STRONGkids and STAMP versus PYMS showed moderate agreement (kappa = 0.566 and kappa = 0.495, respectively). PYMS and STAMP revealed a relatively high sensitivity of 87.8% and 77.6% for wasting.CONCLUSIONDifferent nutritional screening tools revealed considerably different results in evaluating nutritional risks in newly hospitalized children. Since pediatric patients are at risk of malnutrition at admission and during hospitalization, screening tools should be applied properly according to the situation of each hospital.