title: [Relationship between age, body mass index, dependency and quality of life in malnourished patients after hospital discharge].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The quality of life assessment means investigating how patients perceive their disease. Malnutrition-specific characteristics make patients more vulnerable, so it is important to know how these factors impact on patients' daily life.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the quality of life in malnourished patients who have had hospital admission, and to determine the relationship of the quality of life with age, body mass index, diagnosis of malnutrition, and dependency.
  
  
  METHODS
  Multicenter transversal descriptive study in 106 malnourished patients after hospital admission. The quality of life (SF-12 questionnaire), BMI, functional independency (Barthel index), morbidity, and a dietary intake evaluation were assessed. The relationship between variables was tested by using the Spearman correlation coefficient.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The patients of the present study showed a SF-12 mean of 38.32 points. The age was significantly correlated with the SF-12 (r= -0.320, p= 0.001). The BMI was correlated with the SF-12 (r= 0.251, p= 0.011) and its mental component (r= 0.289, p= 0.03). It was also reported a significant correlation between the Barthel index and the SF-12 (r= 0.370, p< 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The general health perception in malnourished patients who have had a hospital admission was lower than the Spanish mean. Moreover, the quality of life in these patients is significantly correlated with age, BMI and functional independency.
authors: Departamento de Fisiología, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos, Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias del Deporte, Universidad de Granada.. casalsvazquez@gmail.com.
authors: Cristina
authors: C
authors: Casals
authors: Centro de Salud San Andrés Torcal, Distrito Sanitario Málaga-Guadalhorce.. casalsvazquez@gmail.com.
authors: María Ángeles
authors: MÁ
authors: Vázquez Sánchez
authors: Sección de Reumatología, Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga.. casalsvazquez@gmail.com.
authors: José Luis
authors: JL
authors: Casals Sánchez
authors: Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga.. casalsvazquez@gmail.com.
authors: Rosalía
authors: R
authors: Rioja Vázquez
authors: Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Victoria, Málaga.. casalsvazquez@gmail.com.
authors: Esperanza
authors: E
authors: Martín Salvador
authors: Departamento de Farmacología y Pediatría, Cátedra de Economía de la Salud y Uso Racional del Medicamento, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Málaga. España.. casalsvazquez@gmail.com.
authors: Nuria
authors: N
authors: García-Agua Soler
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D010351:Patient Discharge; D011788:Quality of Life