2021, Article / Letter to editor (Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care, vol. 24, iss. 6, (2021), pp. 543-554)Purpose of review COVID-19 disease often presents with malnutrition and nutrition impact symptoms, such as reduced appetite, nausea and loss of taste. This review summarizes the most up-to-date research on nutritional assessment in relation to mortality and morbidity risk in patients with COVID-19. Recent findings Numerous studies have been published on malnutrition, muscle wasting, obesity, and nutrition impact symptoms associated with COVID-19, mostly observational and in hospitalized patients. These studies have shown a high prevalence of symptoms (loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dysphagia, fatigue, and loss of smell and taste), malnutrition, micronutrient deficiencies and obesity in patients with COVID-19, all of which were associated with increased mortality and morbidity risks. Early screening and assessment of malnutrition, muscle wasting, obesity, nutrition impact symptoms and micronutrient status in patients with COVID-19, followed by pro-active nutrition support is warranted, and expected to contribute to improved recovery. There is limited research on nutritional status or nutrition impact symptoms in patients living at home or in residential care. RCTs studying the effects of nutrition intervention on clinical outcomes are lacking. Future research should focus on these evidence gaps.
2020, Article / Letter to editor (Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, vol. 21, iss. 9, (2020), pp. 1216-1228)Objectives: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to summarize the prevalence of, and association between, physical frailty or sarcopenia and malnutrition in older hospitalized adults. Design: A systematic literature search was performed in 10 databases. Setting and Participants: Articles were selected that evaluated physical frailty or sarcopenia and malnutrition according to predefined criteria and cutoffs in older hospitalized patients. Measures: Data were pooled in a meta-analysis to evaluate the prevalence of prefrailty and frailty [together (pre-)frailty], sarcopenia, and risk of malnutrition and malnutrition [together (risk of) malnutrition], and the association between either (pre-)frailty or sarcopenia and (risk of) malnutrition. Results: Forty-seven articles with 18,039 patients (55% female) were included in the systematic review, and 39 articles (8868 patients, 62% female) were eligible for the meta-analysis. Pooling 11 studies (2725 patients) revealed that 84% [95% confidence interval (CI): 77%, 91%, I-2 = 98.4%] of patients were physically (pre-)frail. Pooling 15 studies (4014 patients) revealed that 37% (95% CI: 26%, 48%, I-2 = 98.6%) of patients had sarcopenia. Pooling 28 studies (7256 patients) revealed a prevalence of 66% (95% CI: 58%, 73%, I-2 = 98.6%) (risk of) malnutrition. Pooling 10 studies (2427 patients) revealed a high association [odds ratio (OR): 5.77 (95% CI: 3.88, 8.58), P < .0001, I-2 = 42.3%] and considerable overlap (49.7%) between physical (pre-)frailty and (risk of) malnutrition. Pooling 7 studies (2506 patients) revealed a high association [OR: 4.06 (95% CI: 2.43, 6.80), P < .0001, I-2 = 71.4%] and considerable overlap (41.6%) between sarcopenia and (risk of) malnutrition. Conclusions and Implications: The association between and prevalence of (pre-)frailty or sarcopenia and (risk of) malnutrition in older hospitalized adults is substantial. About half of the hospitalized older adults suffer from 2 and perhaps 3 of these debilitating conditions. Therefore, standardized screening for these conditions at hospital admission is highly warranted to guide targeted nutritional and physical interventions. (C) 2020 AMDA - The Society for Post-Acute and Long-Term Care Medicine.