The journal of nutrition, health & aging
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J Nutr Health Aging · Apr 2013
Comparative StudyScreening for malnutrition among nursing home residents - a comparative analysis of the mini nutritional assessment, the nutritional risk screening, and the malnutrition universal screening tool.
The European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) has recommended the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®), the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS), and the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) for nutritional screening in various settings and age groups. While in recent years all three tools have been applied to nursing home residents, there is still no consensus on the most appropriate screening tool in this specific setting. ⋯ The evaluation of nutritional status in nursing home residents by MNA, NRS, and MUST shows significant differences. This observation may be of clinical relevance as nutritional intervention is usually based on screening results. As the items of the MNA reflect particularities of the nursing home population, this tool currently appears to be the most suitable one in this setting.
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J Nutr Health Aging · Apr 2013
Capacity to consent to biomedical research's evaluation among older cognitively impaired patients. A study to validate the University of California Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent questionnaire in French among older cognitively impaired patients.
Some studies have highlighted the difficulty for physicians to evaluate patient's ability to consent to bio-medical research in the elderly population. The University of California Brief Assessment of Capacity to Consent (UBACC) is a rapid questionnaire to assess the ability to consent, previously validated among schizophrenic patients. ⋯ The UBACC scale, in its French version, was accurate to assess capacity to consent in an older, cognitively impaired population.
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J Nutr Health Aging · Apr 2013
Nutritional status according to the mini nutritional assessment (MNA®) and frailty in community dwelling older persons: a close relationship.
This study investigates the association between MNA results and frailty status in community-dwelling older adults. In addition the relevance of singular MNA items and subscores in this regard was tested. ⋯ These results underline the close association between frailty syndrome and nutritional status in older persons. A profound understanding of the interdependency of these two geriatric concepts will represent the basis for successful treatment strategies.
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J Nutr Health Aging · Apr 2013
Screening for malnutrition in nursing home residents: comparison of different risk markers and their association to functional impairment.
To identify nursing home residents with malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition by using different markers, determine if the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA®) is able to identify all residents at risk according to single risk markers and explore the relation between risk markers and functional impairment. ⋯ The high prevalence of nutritional risk highlights the importance of regular screening of nursing home residents. The MNA identified nearly all residents with low BMI, WL and LI. The close association between nutritional risk and functional impairment requires increased awareness for nutritional problems especially in functionally impaired residents, to early initiate nutritional measures and thus, prevent further nutritional and functional deterioration.
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J Nutr Health Aging · Mar 2013
Current evidence for the clinical use of long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids to prevent age-related cognitive decline and Alzheimer's disease.
An NIH State of the Science Conference panel concluded in 2010 that insufficient evidence is available to recommend the use of any primary prevention therapy for Alzheimer's disease or cognitive decline with age. Despite the insufficient evidence, candidate therapies with varying levels of evidence for safety and efficacy are taken by the public and discussed in the media. One example is the long-chain n-3 (omega-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA), DHA and EPA, found in some fish and dietary supplements. ⋯ We discuss available sources, dose, bioavailability, and variables that may impact the response to n-3 LC-PUFA treatment such as baseline n-3 LC-PUFA status, APOE ε4 genotype, depression, and background diet. Lastly, we list ongoing clinical trials and propose next research steps to validate these fatty acids for primary prevention of cognitive aging and dementia. Of particular relevance, epidemiology indicates a higher risk of cognitive decline in people in the lower quartile of n-3 LC-PUFA intake or blood levels but these populations have not been specifically targeted by RCTs.