Nutrition state assessment of elder patients hospitalised in a surgical ward

Aim of the study: Undernourishment, which develops or deepens during hospitalisation among patients treated surgically, is an unfavourable predictive factor of postoperative complications. During the patient’s stay in hospital the assessment of nutrition state, for its significance in therapeutic process, should be a routine action. One of the developed and accepted tools for fast assessment of older patients’ nutrition state is MNA (Mini-Nutritional Assessment). The aim of this work was the nutrition state assessment of patients over 65 years old hospitalised in surgical wards.

Material and methods: The tests included 788 patients from surgical wards in Cuiavia-Pomerania voivodship.

The tests were carried out using an MNA paper and short questionnaire including demographic data of patients. Besides the measurements needed to complete the MNA scale (height, weight, calf circumference, shoulder), measurements of waist and hips were also performed, to calculate the index waist/hip ratio (WHR).

Results: Patients aged 70 years and older have significantly lower values in the MNA scale (p < 0.001) and BMI values (p < 0.05) as well as WHR (p < 0.05) than patients aged 65-69 years. Patients with diagnosed cancer have significantly lower MNA and BMI values (p < 0.001) than the rest of the respondents.

Conclusions: From the results of the carried out tests it can be seen that with age MNA, BMI, and WHR values are lowered. Patients with diagnosed cancer had results that indicated high levels of undernourishment.

Key words: mini nutritional assessment, nutritional status, geriatric assessment.