Differences in physical performance based on the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index in elderly female cardiac patients

Little is known about differences in the risk of poor nutritional status as assessed by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) in relation to physical performance in elderly female cardiac inpatients. The present study aimed to determine both differences in physical performance based on the GNRI and physical performance cut-off values according to the GNRI in elderly female cardiac inpatients.

We enrolled 105 consecutive female Japanese inpatients aged ≥65 years (mean age, 74.6 years) with cardiac disease in this cross-sectional study. We divided the patients into two groups according to GNRI: high-GNRI group (≥92 points) (n = 71) and low-GNRI group (<92 points) (n = 34). Handgrip strength (HG), knee extensor muscle strength (KEMS), gait speed (GS), and one-leg standing time (OLST) were assessed as indices of hospital physical performance and compared between the two groups to determine cut-off values of physical performance.

After adjustment for age and left ventricular ejection fraction, HG, KEMS, GS, and OLST were significantly lower in the low-GNRI versus high-GNRI group. Cut-off values by ROC curve analysis were 16.2 kgf (AUC = 0.66; p < 0.001) for HG, 34.3 % of body weight (AUC = 0.62; p = 0.04) for KEMS, 1.24 m/s (AUC = 0.72; p < 0.01) for GS, and 8.28 s (AUC = 0.62; p = 0.04) for OLST.

The risk of poor nutrition, as indicated by a low GNRI, might be a predictor of lower physical performance. Cut-off values determined in this study might be minimum target goals for physical performance that can be attained by elderly female cardiac inpatients.