Impaired nutritional status in geriatric trauma patients

Area of Science:

• Geriatric Medicine
• Trauma Surgery
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Malnutrition is a known risk factor for poor clinical outcomes.
• Assessing nutritional status in geriatric trauma patients is crucial for identifying at-risk individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the nutritional status of patients aged 70 years and older admitted to a geriatric traumatology center.
• To determine the association between nutritional status and other health indicators, including mental and cognitive function, frailty, comorbidities, and discharge destination.

Main Methods:

• 169 consecutive geriatric trauma patients (age ≥70) were assessed upon acute care admission.
• Nutritional status was evaluated using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA).
• Mental function (Geriatric Depression Scale - GDS), cognitive function (Mini-Mental State Examination - MMSE), frailty (Fried Scale), comorbidities, and medications were also assessed.

Main Results:

• 56.2% of patients were either malnourished (7.1%) or at risk of malnutrition (49.1%).
• Impaired nutritional status was significantly associated with reduced mental health (GDS ≥5), cognitive impairment (MMSE ≤26), frailty, and a higher number of comorbidities and medications.
• Patients with malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition were twice as likely to be discharged to a destination other than home.

Conclusions:

• A significant proportion of geriatric trauma patients present with malnutrition or are at risk upon admission.
• Poor nutritional status in this population is linked to adverse physical, mental, and cognitive health indicators.
• Identifying and addressing malnutrition in geriatric trauma patients is essential for improving health outcomes and facilitating home discharge.