title: Short dietary assessment improves muscle dysfunction identification by Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index in uncomplicated institutionalised patients over 70 years old.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To possibly investigate the validity of the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) in predicting muscle dysfunction among the uncomplicated elderly when coupled and compared with short dietary assessment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 130 (61 males and 69 females) stable-weight, over 70-years-old elderly patients were studied according to anthropometry, handgrip strength (HG) and simple dietary assessment, expressed as oral (percentage of food consumed to that delivered) and protein (g/kg/day) intakes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For the overall population, HG and strength for centimetres of arm muscle area (HG/AMA) significantly correlated with age, GNRI and nutrients intake (p<0.001). In gender-separated analyses, these associations were less evident for males than females, which were older (p<0.0001) and presented lower strength and intakes (p<0.0001). Patients in the lowest tertile of oral intake (<68%) were more likely (p<0.0001) to have low HG and HG/AMA than those at severe/moderate nutritional risk (GNRI<92; p<0.01). In multivariate models, being an aged female significantly predicted muscle dysfunction. For the overall population, HG was significantly associated with GNRI (p<0.05) and oral intake (p<0.0001), while HG/AMA was independently associated with GNRI (p<0.001) and protein intake (p<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The validity of GNRI in predicting muscle dysfunction is confirmed also in the uncomplicated elderly. Though, oral intake appears an even better predictor. A frequent evaluation of its changes should be considered, particularly when concomitant high risk (GNRI<92) is scored.
authors.affiliation: International Center for the Assessment of Nutritional Status (ICANS), University of Milan, via Botticelli 21, 20133 Milan, Italy. emanuele.cereda@virgilio.it
authors.forename: Emanuele
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Cereda
authors.forename: Alfredo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vanotti
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004032:Diet / Q000592:standards; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006707:Homes for the Aged; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D012709:Serum Albumin