title: Vitamin B12 and folic acid levels are not related to length of stay in elderly inpatients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We designed this study, to evaluate the interaction (relation) between vitamin B12 and folic acid levels and length of hospital stay in elderly inpatients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this cross-sectional study, the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) test was used to evaluate nutritional status of 615 (239 men, 376 female; mean age 72.89 ± 8.93 y) inpatients of a university hospital. Length of stay and blood samples in elderly inpatients were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only 33.8% of the patients were classified as having an adequate nutritional status; 44.3% had a risk of malnutrition, and 21.8% were classified as malnourished. Low MNA-SF score was related to length of stay, but vitamin B12 and folic acid were not related to risk of malnutrition and length of stay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MNA-SF score is associated with length of stay; however, vitamin B12 level, per se, is not associated with length of hospital stay in elderly inpatients.
authors: Bezmialem Vakif University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors: Pınar
authors: P
authors: Soysal
authors: Ahmet Turan
authors: AT
authors: Isik
authors: Aycan
authors: A
authors: Uğur
authors: Rumeyza
authors: R
authors: Kazancioglu
authors: Fatih
authors: F
authors: Ergun
authors: Gulsen
authors: G
authors: Babacan Yildiz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D014805:Vitamin B 12 / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid; D014805:Vitamin B 12