title: Malnutrition is associated with dementia severity and geriatric syndromes in patients with Alzheimer disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Malnutrition is associated with increased morbidity and mortality in patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). In this study, we aimed to screen for malnutrition and geriatric syndromes and seek their associations in patients with AD.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Katz Activities of Daily Living (ADL), and Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) tests were applied. Mean daily oral fluid intake was assessed according to patients' and relatives' declarations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seventy-six patients with a mean age of 79 ± 7.4 years were included. Most of the patients had mild or moderate dementia. Malnutrition was associated with increased rates of hospitalization and falls, dysphagia, insomnia, agitation, delusions, hallucinations, immobility, and incontinence. A daily fluid intake of < 1100 mL was associated with malnutrition risk. Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed independent correlations of lower MNA score with lower ADL score, lower daily oral fluid intake, lower MMSE score, and female sex.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dependency, inadequate fluid intake, advanced dementia stage, and female sex were independently associated with malnutrition. Malnutrition also seemed to be associated with sleep disturbances, psychological problems, immobility, falls, and increased hospitalization risk in these patients. Daily oral fluid intake may be a practical tool in the screening of malnutrition.
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yildiz
authors.forename: Nilüfer
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Büyükkoyuncu Pekel
authors.forename: Ahmet Kasim
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Kiliç
authors.forename: Elif Nalan
authors.initials: EN
authors.lastname: Tolgay
authors.forename: Fatih
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tufan
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000150:complications* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013577:Syndrome