Prevalence of undernutrition in a long-term care facility in Qatar

This study assessed the nutritional status of 130 Qatari patients aged 65 to 90 years who were residing in a long-term care facility for six months. Admission weight was not measured for 49.2% of the subjects. Of those whose weight was measured at admission, assessment at six months indicated that 21.3% had lost more than 10% of their admission weight, 38.9% were under the fifth percentile of body mass index (BMI), 39.8% had a BMI less than 21, 27.1% had albumin level below 34?g/L, and 18.6% had total cholesterol below (140?mg/dl). The study showed a high prevalence of undernutrition among these long-term care residents and indicated that appropriate nutritional assessment and nutrition care were not fully implemented during their stay in the facility.     

Prevalence of Undernutrition in a Long-Term Care Facility in Qatar

This study assessed the nutritional status of 130 Qatari patients aged 65 to 90 years who were residing in a long-term care facility for six months. Admission weight was not measured for 49.2% of the subjects. Of those whose weight was measured at admission, assessment at six months indicated that 21.3% had lost more than 10% of their admission weight, 38.9% were under the fifth percentile of body mass index (BMI), 39.8% had a BMI less than 21, 27.1% had albumin level below 34 g/L, and 18.6% had total cholesterol below (140 mg/dl). The study showed a high prevalence of undernutrition among these long-term care residents and indicated that appropriate nutritional assessment and nutrition care were not fully implemented during their stay in the facility.     

Comparison of nutritional risk screening tools in patients on admission to hospital

Background and aims Undernutrition has been frequently reported in patients on admission to hospital. Because this is not always detected promptly, screening for nutritional risk on admission has been widely advocated. Although there is no universally accepted ‘gold standard’ for defining undernutrition, the definition used by McWhirter, J.P. & Pennington, C.R. [(1994) Br. Med. J. 308 , 945] has been widely used by clinical nutrition specialists. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of two frequently used nutritional risk screening tools in detecting undernutrition according to this definition. Methods Both the Nutrition Risk Index [Veterans Affairs Total Parenteral Nutrition Co‐operative Study Group (1991) N. Engl. J. Med. 325 , 525] and the Nutrition Risk Score [Reilly H.M. et al. (1995) Clin. Nutr. 14 , 269] were used to screen for undernutrition in 359 admissions to two acute teaching hospitals in Dublin. Undernutrition was defined as a Body Mass Index below 20 kg m^?2 and a triceps skinfold thickness or mid‐arm muscle circumference below the 15th percentile. Comparison of stratification of nutritional risk by the two screening tools was carried out. Results Both screening tools identified over 40% (Nutrition Risk Index, 44%; Nutrition Risk Score, 46%) of all patients assessed as at nutritional risk on admission. However, one‐third of the undernourished patients were classified as at no nutrition risk by the Nutrition Risk Index, while almost one‐fifth of those undernourished were classified as at low risk by the Nutrition Risk Score. The degree of nutritional risk differed with the screening tool used, the Nutrition Risk Score classifying 29% of all patients as high risk while the Nutrition Risk Index classified only 5% as in the high risk category. Conclusions Although a large proportion of patients on admission were classified as being at nutritional risk, the degree of risk was significantly different depending on the screening tool used. Both nutritional risk screening tools evaluated in this study failed to recognize many cases of undernutrition. Evaluation of the efficacy of nutritional screening tools should be promoted as seriously as the development of such tools.     

Hospital malnutrition. A prospective evaluation of general medical patients during the course of hospitalization.

Nutrition status was evaluated in 134 consecutive admissions to a general medical service and throughout hospitalization among patients hospitalized 2 weeks or longer. Likelihood of malnutrition was determined using eight nutrition-related parameters: serum folate and vitamin C, triceps skinfold, weight/height, arm muscle circumference, lymphocyte count, serum albumin, and hematocrit. On admission 48% of patients had a high likelihood of malnutrition, which correlated with a longer hospital stay (20 versus 12 days for patients with a low likelihood of malnutrition) and an increased mortality rate (13 versus 4%). Likelihood of malnutrition increased with hospitalization in 69% of patients with paired determinations. Compared to admission, at final follow-up a greater proportion of patients fell into the depleted range of values for folate, triceps skinfold, weight/height, arm muscle circumference, lymphocyte count, and hematocrit. These parameters worsened in over 75% of patients admitted with normal values. Hematocrit fell in all patients with normal admission levels. These findings demonstrate and association between nutrition status and hospital course and a worsening trend during hospitalization.     

主客观营养评价指标在老年麻风患者中的应用

目的调查麻风患者的营养状况,探讨营养评价方法的可行性。方法采用主观全面营养评定（SGA）和客观指标对60例长期住院晚期老年麻风患者进行营养状态评估。结果SGA评估结果显示,60例患者中,有22例（36．7％）患者存在营养不足,其中5例（8．3％）为严重营养不足。三头肌皮褶厚度（TSF）、前白蛋白（PALB）、上臂肌围（MAMC）、血红蛋白（Hb）和血清白蛋白（ALB）与SGA评价一致性的Kappa值分别为0．619、0．571、0．476、0．454和0．419。除身高和胆固醇外,性别、麻风型别、住院时间和麻风畸残度与所有营养指标无关。年龄和溃疡程度与患者体重指数、TSF、Hb、ALB和PALB明显相关（P〈0．01）。SGA对被筛选客观指标敏感性和特异性不一,TSF和溃疡对SGA的影响最大。结论麻风患者营养风险性不高。客观指标不适合单独应用于老年晚期麻风患者,应结合SGA进行综合评价。     

新疆地区三级甲等医院住院患者营养风险、营养不良(不足)、超重和肥胖发生率及营养支持应用状况

目的调查新疆地区三级甲等医院6个专科住院患者营养风险、营养不良（不足）、超重和肥胖发生率及营养支持应用状况。方法采用定点连续抽样的方法,收集新疆地区5所三级甲等医院中6个专科的住院患者,符合营养风险筛查2002（NRS2002）评分≥3分为有营养风险,体重指数（BMI）〈18．5kg／m2（或白蛋白〈30g／L）为营养不足。在患者人院次日早晨进行NRS2002筛查,并调查2周内（或至出院时）的营养支持状况,分析营养风险和营养支持之间的关系。结果共调查4036例,其中3913例完成NRS2002筛查,营养不良（不足）与营养风险的发生率分别为8．4％和34．2％,实际营养支持率为10．2％,其中肠外营养为8．5％,肠内营养为1．7％,肠外营养：肠内营养为5．1：1。结论通过对新疆地区三级甲等医院的调查发现,NRS方法简单、快捷、方便,能够发现住院患者的营养风险,为进行合理营养支持提供依据,应向临床推广。     

Prevalence of malnutrition in 1760 patients at hospital admission: a controlled population study of body composition

OBJECTIVE: Malnutrition, defined as low or excessive body weight, is associated with increased hospital length of stay and cost of care. The purpose of this study was to determine if fat-free mass (FFM) and body fat (BF) differed between patients at hospital admission in Geneva and Berlin and healthy volunteers, and if there is a difference in the prevalence of low FFM (percentile P<10) and high BF (percentile P>90) between patients and volunteers. METHODS: In total, 1760 patients (Geneva: 525 men, 470 women; Berlin: 397 men, 368 women) were evaluated for malnutrition by BMI, serum albumin, and FFM and BF, determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and compared to 1760 healthy volunteers matched for age and height, and further compared to FFM and BF percentiles, previously determined in 5225 healthy adults. RESULTS: The prevalence of FFM P<10 was greater in patients than controls. The prevalence of albumin<35 g/l (14.9% and 11.2% in Geneva and Berlin patients, respectively) and BMI<20.0 kg/m(2) was lower than the prevalence of low FFM (31.3% and 17.3%, respectively). The prevalence of high BF in Berlin patients was three-fold the prevalence of volunteers. Twelve and twenty percent of Geneva and Berlin patients, respectively, with normal BMI had high BF, compared to 4% of volunteers. CONCLUSIONS: Geneva and Berlin patients had lower FFM and higher BF than age-and height-matched volunteers and a higher prevalence of low FFM and high BF. Serum albumin and BMI underestimated the prevalence of malnutrition in patients at hospital admission. Body composition measurements identified patients with low FFM and low or high BF reserves.     

Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index: a new index for evaluating at-risk elderly medical patients

BACKGROUND: Patients at risk of malnutrition and related morbidity and mortality can be identified with the Nutritional Risk Index (NRI). However, this index remains limited for elderly patients because of difficulties in establishing their normal weight. OBJECTIVE: Therefore, we replaced the usual weight in this formula by ideal weight according to the Lorentz formula (WLo), creating a new index called the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI). DESIGN: First, a prospective study enrolled 181 hospitalized elderly patients. Nutritional status [albumin, prealbumin, and body mass index (BMI)] and GNRI were assessed. GNRI correlated with a severity score taking into account complications (bedsores or infections) and 6-mo mortality. Second, the GNRI was measured prospectively in 2474 patients admitted to a geriatric rehabilitation care unit over a 3-y period. RESULTS: The severity score correlated with albumin and GNRI but not with BMI or weight:WLo. Risk of mortality (odds ratio) and risk of complications were, respectively, 29 (95% CI: 5.2, 161.4) and 4.4 (95% CI: 1.3, 14.9) for major nutrition-related risk (GNRI: <82), 6.6 (95% CI: 1.3, 33.0), 4.9 (95% CI: 1.9, 12.5) for moderate nutrition-related risk (GNRI: 82 to <92), and 5.6 (95% CI: 1.2, 26.6) and 3.3 (95% CI: 1.4, 8.0) for a low nutrition-related risk (GNRI: 92 to < or =98). Accordingly, 12.2%, 31.4%, 29.4%, and 27.0% of the 2474 patients had major, moderate, low, and no nutrition-related risk, respectively. CONCLUSION: GNRI is a simple and accurate tool for predicting the risk of morbidity and mortality in hospitalized elderly patients and should be recorded systematically on admission.     

A longitudinal study of hospital undernutrition in the elderly: Comparison of four validated methods

Background  Undernutrition/nutritional risk were evaluated longitudinally in 531 hospitalized elderly by four validated methods to appraise the most feasible for routine use. Design  Within 48hrs of admission&24hrs before discharge: the following data were collected: clinical data, nutritional status (BMI, %weight loss) & risk (MNA, MUST), energy requirements (Owen et al), diet. Results  Significant changes from admission to discharge in risk/undernutrition prevalence, were not shown by BMI (≈17% vs 22%), ≥5% weight loss (≈53% vs ≈56%) or MNA 83% vs ≈81%; at admission, 93% patients were MUST high risk declining to ≈47% (p=0.001) at discharge, alongside eating resumption. By multivariate analysis comparing all methods&differences between patient groups during hospitalization, only %weight loss clarified nutritional progression: more surgical patients had ≥10% weight loss vs medicine, p<0.01. Only admission ≥5% weight loss was predictive of longer hospitalizations (OR:1.57; 95% CI 1.02–2.40; p<0.003), though MNA&MUST undernourished/high risk had significantly longer stays. MNA and MUST were the most concordant methods, p<0.001. Eating compromising symptoms were prevalent in surgery/medicine with ≥5% weight loss, MNA risk/undernutrition, and MUST high risk, p<0.005. Overall, mean energy requirements/diet were not significantly different between admission/discharge: requirements ≈1400kcal were always lower than on offer ≈2128kcal, p=0.0001. Conclusions  Rigid diets create costly waste which do not counteract nutritional deterioration. Different nutritional risk/status prevalences were unveiled at admission&discharge: >50% patients were at risk/undernourished by significant weight loss, MNA or MUST, all associated with longer stays. Recent weight loss is unarguably essential, comprehensive MNA & MUST similarly reliable; in this study dynamic MUST seemed easier to practise. Quality nutritional care before/during/after hospitalization is mandatory in the elderly.     

The influence of early supplementation of parenteral nutrition on quality of life and body composition in patients with advanced cancer

BACKGROUND: According to current evidence, most organizations, including the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.), do not recommend the routine use of artificial nutrition for patients with cancer. Despite the recommendation for parenteral nutrition (PN), data for early PN supplementation (PNS) in patients with an advanced malignancy are extremely limited, especially in terms of the affects on nutrition outcomes, body composition, and quality of life (QOL), as well as effects on oncologic outcomes. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of PNS on body composition and the quality of life in patients with advanced malignancies. METHODS: One hundred fifty-two consecutive patients with advanced cancer were prospectively randomized to either use of oral enteral nutrition supplement (PN-) or use of oral enteral nutrition supplement plus supplemental PN (PN+). Body weight, body mass index (BMI), and caloric intake were assessed, and hemoglobin (g/dL) and serum albumin (g/L) were measured. Body composition was assessed by body impedance analysis (BIA), and QOL was evaluated by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) QLQ-C30 questionnaire every 6 weeks. RESULTS: No significant differences were evident at baseline between the 2 groups for age, gender, medical diagnosis, weight, BMI, or QOL. A statistically significant difference in mean BMI was observed by week 48 for the PN+ group (PN+ = 21.9, PN-= 20.5, p = .0149), by week 6 in mean body cell mass (PN+ = 55%, PN-= 50,1%, p < .001), mean albumin (PN+ = 40.2 g/L, PN-= 36.2 g/L, p = .015), mean QOL (PN+ = 55.7, PN-= 50.9, p = .035). The cumulative survival rate was significantly greater in the PN+ group (p < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: According to the positive effect of supplemental PN on survival, body composition, and QOL, additional controlled studies must be conducted to confirm these findings.     

Nutrition problems of hospitalised children in a developing country: Thailand

Nutritional assessment reveals the nutritional status of a patient. It thereby helps identify each patient's need for specific nutritional care and facilitates early intervention. Generally, the common nutrition and nutrition-related problems in hospitalised paediatric patients are: protein energy malnutrition in various degrees; vitamin deficiencies such as A, B1, B2, niacin, folic acid, K and E; mineral deficiencies such as Zn, Fe, Ca, Mg, P, K and Na; essential fatty acid deficiencies; carbohydrate intolerance; maldigestion and malabsorption; and overweight and obesity. However, there is limited information about nutritional status of hospitalised patients in some countries, especially in developing countries. In Thailand, it was found that the prevalence of hospital malnutrition in children aged 1-15 years in the paediatric ward was similar (50-60%) to that of a study conducted 10 years earlier. In another study of micronutrients in 45 paediatric AIDS patients (aged 3-46 months), high prevalences of malnutrition, anaemia and mineral deficiencies were found. For convenience in clinical practice, body mass index (BMI) values for use as an indicator in the assessment of undernutrition in children whose heights are less than 145 cm have been published. These BMI values have been tested and retested using normal children and patients with various degrees of undernutrition and were found to be reliable and valid. Therefore, nutritional status must be assessed in all hospitalised patients. At the very least, weight and height (length) should be obtained.     

Nutrition Problems among Home-Living Elderly People May Lead to Disease and Hospitalization

Undernutrition is a major problem among hospitalized elderly patients, increasing their morbidity and mortality. Various factors can contribute to the development of reduced nutrition status. In this study, reduced appetite and taste, dental problems, and difficulties in shopping and cooking were common in an elderly population during their last month before hospital admission compared to a reference group of home-living elderly. It is likely that these nutrition habits and disabilities may contribute to reduced nutrition status and increase the need for hospitalization in old people.     

肠内营养联合化疗治疗晚期胃癌的临床疗效研究

目的:探讨晚期胃癌化疗期间联合肠内营养治疗的价值。方法:本研究为前瞻性随机研究。按NRS 2002营养风险量表筛选具有营养不良风险的62例不可手术的晚期胃癌病人随机分为两组。两组病人均行奥沙利铂联合替吉奥化疗,对照组(n=30)在化疗的同时予营养咨询;治疗组(n=32)在化疗的同时予安素肠内营养治疗,所有病人在化疗前和化疗后行NRS 2002量表评估,观察并记录体重、体重指数、血清白蛋白,化疗结束后评价化疗疗效与不良反应。结果:化疗结束后肠内营养组血清白蛋白水平、体重及体重指数明显高于对照组(P0.05),两组病人化疗后不良反应和化疗疗效差别无统计学意义。结论:肠内营养联合化疗可改善晚期胃癌病人的营养状态,降低营养不良风险。     

Body composition changes in cachectic patients receiving home parenteral nutrition

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the initial body compositional changes experienced by malnourished patients requiring home parenteral nutrition (HPN) for repletion. METHODS: Eight patients were prospectively studied for 3 months. Body composition was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and a comprehensive nutrition assessment was performed including body weight, visceral proteins, triceps skinfold (TSF), midupper arm circumference (MUAC), midupper arm muscle circumference (MUAMC), body mass index (BMI), delayed hypersensitivity skin tests (DHST), and diet history. RESULTS: Body composition measured by DXA showed an increase in (mean +/- SD) total fat from 5770 +/- 2805 to 10581 +/- 1980 g (p < .001) and bone mineral content from 2155 +/- 429 to 2190 +/- 443 g (p = .047). Lean soft tissue remained unchanged. Body weight and BMI increased from 47.7 +/- 6.6 to 53.6 +/- 8.2 kg (p = .006) and from 16.6 +/- 1.5 to 18.6 +/- 1.5 kg/m2 (p = .005), respectively. TSF increased from 6.3 +/- 3.1 to 10.4 +/- 4.0 mm (p < .001), and MUAMC remained stable. There was a significant improvement in transferrin from 191 +/- 82 to 326 +/- 128 mg/dL (p = .043), and a trend toward improvement in albumin and DHST. Body weight was highly correlated with DXA weight at baseline (r = .997; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98 to 1.00; p < .001) and at 3 months (r = .988; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.00; p <.001). TSF correlated with total fat as measured by DXA at baseline (r = .839; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.97; p = .009) but not at 3 months (r = .693; 95% CI, -0.02 to 0.94; p = .057). MUAMC correlated with lean soft tissue measured by DXA both at baseline (r = .739; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.95; p = .036) and at 3 months (r = .870; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.98; p = .005). Physical activity, on a subjective scale of 1 (low activity) to 3 (high activity), improved over the 3-month period from 1.3 +/- 0.5 to 2.2 +/- 0.8 (p = .031). CONCLUSIONS: Initial weight gain experienced by malnourished HPN patients is primarily fat. Bone mineral content increases, but lean soft tissue does not change. Overall nutritional status is improved as exhibited by significant improvements in body weight and serum transferrin and a trend toward improvement in albumin and delayed hypersensitivity skin tests.     

Prevalence of patients at nutritional risk in Danish hospitals

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Undernutrition is associated with increased morbidity and mortality and is common in patients admitted to hospital. We examined (1) the prevalence of patients at nutritional risk, (2) whether these patients were identified by the staff, and (3) whether a nutritional plan and monitoring was made for patients at nutritional risk. METHODS: A cross-sectional study in 15 randomly selected departments (>200 beds, departments of internal medicine, gastro- and orthopedic surgery) in Danish hospitals. The patients were characterized by scoring the components 'undernutrition' and 'severity of disease' in 4 categories (absent, mild, moderate or severe). The patient could have a score of 0-3 for each component (undernutrition and severity of disease), and any patient with a total score > or = 3 was considered at nutritional risk. Undernutrition was evaluated by 3 variables (BMI, recent weight loss, recent food intake). RESULTS: Out of 590 patients, 39.9% were nutritionally at risk, with the highest prevalence in departments of gastro-surgery (57%). BMI was <18.5 in 10.9%, and between 18.5 and 20.5 in 16.7% of the patients. In 7.6% the records contained information about nutritional risk, in 14.2% about a nutrition plan of which only 55.2% included a plan for monitoring. Measurements of BMI were found in 3% of the records. Both severity of disease (P < 0.02) and weightloss (P < 0.04) were predictive for making a nutrition plan. CONCLUSIONS: Nearly 40% of patients in departments of internal medicine, gastro- and orthopedic surgery are at nutritional risk, and only a minor part of these patients are identified. As a consequence only few patients at a nutritional risk have a nutrition plan and a plan for monitoring.     

The evolution of nutritional status of geriatric patients without cachexia is associated with food intake in sub-acute care

Objectives  To determine if changes in patients’ nutritional status during hospitalization are related to daily energy and protein intakes when cachectic/inflammatory conditions are controlled for. Design  Prospective study. Subjects  A total of 32 non-cachectic patients (21 women; 65–92y). Methods  Nutritional status was evaluated at admission and discharge using the Protein-Energy Malnutrition Index which includes BMI, %IBW, TS, MAC, albumin, hemoglobin and lymphocyte count. Food intake was assessed 3 meals/day every other day for an average of 46.2 ± 14.6 meals/participant. Results  In all, 47% of the study sample was malnourished at admission. Nutritional status improved in 73% of patients who had been identified as malnourished and in 30 % of non-malnourished patients at admission. Total energy intake correlated with improvements in BMI, %IBW and total lymphocyte count (all p < 0.04). Improvement in PEMI score for the whole group was associated with functional status (p < 0.05). Controlling for this variable, energy (kj/kg body weight) and protein (g/kg body weight) intakes correlated positively with improvements in BMI, %IBW and MAC (Energy: partial r = 0.644, 0.624, 0.466 respectively; Protein: partial r = 0.582, 0.554, 0.433 respectively; all p < 0.05). Conclusions  Results from this study offer strong evidence that when cachectic/inflammatory conditions are controlled for, standard nutrition care is compatible with the maintenance or improvement of nutritional status during the hospital stay.     

Malnutrition induces dissociated changes in lymphocyte count and subset proportion in patients with anorexia nervosa

OBJECTIVE: The effect of nutritional state on lymphocytes in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) was studied. METHOD: We studied total lymphocyte count (TLC), lymphocyte subsets, and nutritional markers [body mass index (BMI), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I)], and serum zinc concentration) in 33 patients with AN and 10 healthy controls. RESULTS: TLC positively correlated with BMI (r = .680, p < .001), IGF-I (r = .609 p < .001), and zinc (r = .589, p < .001). The CD4+ T-lymphocyte (CD4) proportion correlated negatively with BMI (r = -.301, p = .05) and IGF-I (r = -.346, p = .023), counteracting the effect of malnutrition on TLC. However, because this increase in CD4 proportion was weak, patients with very severe malnutrition (indicated by serum zinc less than 40 microg/dL) had critically low CD4 counts of less than 200 cells/microL. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that lymphocyte counts and subset proportion change in an opposite manner in patients with AN, and that decrease in serum zinc levels is nutrition-related.     

Importance of parenteral nutrition in patients undergoing hemopoietic stem cell transplantation procedures in the autologous system

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the frequency of parenteral nutrition and to compare the impact of parenteral and oral feeding on the nutrition and clinical status of adults undergoing autologous hemopoietic stem cell transplantation. METHODS: The study involved 35 patients with neoplasm of the hemopoietic system who underwent hemopoietic cell autotransplantation at the Hematology Clinic (Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland). The patients' nutrition status was assessed using body mass index (BMI) values, body mass components, concentration of albumin, and total protein in blood serum. The clinical status evaluation included duration of hematologic reconstruction, concentration of bilirubin, enzyme activity (alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase), severity of infections, and duration of hospitalization. RESULTS: Parenteral nutrition was required in 19 patients. Oral feeding was used in 16 patients. Symptoms of malnutrition on the day preceding the introduction of conditioning treatment were recorded only in patients requiring parenteral nutrition (31.6%). In the posttransplantation period, a statistically significant decrease in body mass was observed in both groups, whereas the share of fatty tissue in total body mass was significantly less in patients (men and women) fed parenterally. CONCLUSION: A supply of 25-30 kcal/kg and 1-1.5 g protein/kg/day as an element of parenteral nutrition (where 20%-30% of the energy requirement was covered by fats, 15%-20% by amino acids, and 50%-55% by glucose) helped prevent the development of malnutrition and restore the functions of the hemopoietic system at a level comparable to that for patients fed naturally.     

Use of nutrition support in patients with AIDS: a four-year retrospective review.

A series of 55 patients with AIDS and opportunistic infections were admitted a total of 75 times to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital over a 4-year period, and supplemental nutrition support--intravenous (IV), enteral, or both--was given during 32 of these admissions. Use of nutrition support was correlated retrospectively with pretreatment nutritional status, length of hospital stay (LOS), and survival and was found to be positively correlated with weight loss greater than or equal to 10% or weight less than or equal to 90% of ideal body weight (p less than 0.001), admission hemoglobin less than or equal to 10g (p less than 0.001), and LOS less than or equal to 21 days (p less than or equal to 0.003). Nutrition support intervention did not correlate with survival, admission total lymphocyte count (TLC), or serum albumin level. Survival was negatively correlated with LOS (p less than or equal to 0.04) and continuous daily fever for greater than or equal to 6 days (p less than 0.001). Survival was also significantly lower in patients who received IV rather than enteral nutrition support (p less than or equal to 0.03). Weight loss, admission TLC, albumin, and hemoglobin levels did not correlate with survival. These results suggest that nutrition support generally was given to the sickest patients with AIDS. There was no measurable benefit associated with use of supplemental nutritional support in this series. Properly designed trials will be necessary to define the optimum route, timing, and type of nutritional support for patients with AIDS.     

Body composition: why, when and for who?

Body composition reflects nutritional intakes, losses and needs over time. Undernutrition, i.e. fat-free mass (FFM) loss, is associated with decreased survival, worse clinical outcome and quality of life, as well as increased therapy toxicity in cancer patients. In numerous clinical situations, such as sarcopenic obesity and chronic diseases, the measurement of body composition with available methods, such as dual-X ray absorptiometry, computerized tomography and bioelectrical impedance analysis, quantifies the loss of FFM, whereas body weight loss and body mass index only inconstantly reflect FFM loss. The measurement of body composition allows documenting the efficiency of nutrition support, tailoring the choice of disease-specific and nutritional therapies and evaluating their efficacy and putative toxicity. Easy-to-use body composition methods integrated to the routine of care allow sequential measurements for an initial nutritional assessment and objective patients follow-up. By allowing an earlier and objective management of undernutrition, body composition assessment could contribute to reduce undernutrition-induced morbidity, worsening of quality of life, and global health care costs by a timely nutrition intervention.