title: Nutritional status in chronically-ill elderly patients. Is it related to quality of life?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study is to assess the quality of life in chronically-ill elderly patients and its relationship with parameters concerning the patients' nutritional status.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Primary health-care centres in Jaen, Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 168 chronically-ill elderly outpatients aged from 65 to 89 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Quality of life was measured using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. A nutritional assessment was undertaken including socio-demographic variables, anthropometric measurements (body-mass index and calf circumference), functional evaluation (Barthel index and Folstein mini-mental status test) and a dietetic questionnaire. The mini-nutritional assessment test was used as an assessment tool to detect nutritional risk.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Quality of life in chronically-ill elderly subjects, as determined by the WHOQOL-BREF questionnaire, which diminishes with age, is independent of anthropometric parameters and a statistically significant difference was found between gender, socio-demographic characteristics, functional capacity, nutritional status and the kind of chronic disease (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The relationship between the quality of life with the patients' socio-demographic characteristics, functional capacity and nutritional status underlines the importance of taking these factors into account in the management of chronically ill patients, especially women.
authors: M.D. Ruiz-López, Departamento de Nutrición y Bromatología, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Granada, Campus Universitario La Cartuja. 18071 Granada, España. Tlf. + 34 958 243869. E-mail: mdruiz@ugr.es.
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Artacho
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Lujano
authors: A B
authors: AB
authors: Sanchez-Vico
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Vargas Sánchez
authors: J
authors: J
authors: González Calvo
authors: P R
authors: PR
authors: Bouzas
authors: M D
authors: MD
authors: Ruiz-López
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010045:Outpatients; D011320:Primary Health Care; D011788:Quality of Life; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires