title: Nutritional status according to Mini Nutritional Assessment is related to functional status in geriatric patients--independent of health status.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nutritional and functional status in acute geriatric patients including mobility and considering health status.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  205 geriatric patients (median age 82.0 (IQR: 80-86) years, 69.3% women).
  
  
  METHODS
  Nutritional status was determined by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) and patients were categorized as well-nourished (≥ 24 points), at risk of malnutrition (17-23.5 points) or as malnourished (< 17 points). Functional status was determined by Barthel Index (BI) and Timed 'Up and Go' Test (TUG) and related to MNA categories. Using binary multiple logistic regression the impact of nutritional status on functional status was examined, adjusted for health status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  60.3% of the patients were at risk of malnutrition and 29.8% were malnourished. Ability to perform basic activities of daily living (ADL) decreased with declining nutritional status. The proportion of patients unable to perform the TUG increased with worsening of nutritional status (45.0% vs. 50.4% vs. 77.0%, p<0.01). After adjusting for age, gender, number of diagnoses, disease severity and cognitive function, a higher MNA score significantly lowered the risk of being dependent in ADL (OR 0.85, 95 % CI 0.77-0.94) and inability to perform the TUG (OR 0.90, 95 % CI 0.82-0.99).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nutritional status according to MNA was related to ADL as well as to mobility in acute geriatric patients. This association remained after adjusting for health status.
authors.affiliation: Eva Schrader, Institute for Biomedicine of Aging, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schrader
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Baumgärtel
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gueldenzoph
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Stehle
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Uter
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Sieber
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Volkert
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D012307:Risk Factors