The short-form mini-nutritional assessment is as effective as the full-mini nutritional assessment in predicting follow-up 4-year mortality in elderly Taiwanese.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the mortality-predictive ability of the full- and short-form (SF) Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA).


METHODS
A prospective cohort study.


METHODS
Population-representative sample.


METHODS
2872 ≥65-year old men and women.


METHODS
The study analyzed 1999 and 2003 datasets of the Taiwan Longitudinal Survey on Aging (TLSA). Subjects were graded for nutritional status with the full-MNA and MNA-SF of a Taiwanese-specific version (T2, containing calf circumference instead of BMI) at baseline (1999) and tracked their survival status for 4 years. Mortality-predictive abilities of the full-MNA and MNA-SF were compared using Cox regression analysis and Net Reclassification Improvement (NRI).


RESULTS
The full-MNA and MNA-SF have comparable abilities in predicting follow-up 4-year mortality risk according to the hazard ratios (all p<0.001) and Akaike information criterion (AIC). It also showed a slight improvement (not significant) if the full-MNA in a predictive model was replaced by the MNA-SF (NRI=0.09%, p=0.956).


CONCLUSIONS
The MNA-SF has at least comparable or even slightly better ability in predicting follow-up 4-year mortality risk of elderly Taiwanese. Results suggest that MNA-SF with calf circumference may possess some basic characteristics of a comprehensive and universal geriatric screening scale.
Department of Healthcare Administration, Asia University, -500 Liufeng Rd., Wufeng, Taichung, 41354, Taiwan.
J Y
JY
Wang
A C
AC
Tsai
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000401:mortality*; D008954:Models, Biological; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology