Subjective global assessment in HIV-infected patients

Area of Science:

• Clinical Nutrition
• Infectious Diseases
• Public Health

Background:

• Nutritional status is critical for patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
• The Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) is a widely used tool for assessing nutritional status across disciplines.
• A specific adaptation of the SGA may improve its utility in the HIV-infected population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To revise and validate the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) tool for assessing nutritional status in HIV-infected patients.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of the revised SGA in identifying malnutrition severity and associated clinical indicators.

Main Methods:

• The Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) tool was modified for HIV patients.
• The revised SGA was applied to 36 HIV-infected patients in a clinical setting.
• Data collected included weight changes, dietary intake, gastrointestinal symptoms, functional status, and physical examination findings.

Main Results:

• Severely malnourished HIV patients exhibited more weight loss, gastrointestinal issues, functional impairment, and wasting.
• Lower serum albumin and CD4 lymphocyte counts were associated with greater malnutrition severity.
• The revised SGA successfully differentiated nutritional status among the study participants.

Conclusions:

• The revised SGA is a valuable tool for identifying malnutrition in HIV-infected individuals.
• This assessment facilitates timely referral to registered dietitians for targeted nutritional interventions.
• Collaborative efforts between nurses and dietitians using the SGA can optimize patient care and outcomes.