Effectiveness of multidisciplinary nutritional care on nutritional intake, nutritional status and quality of life in patients with hip fractures: A controlled prospective cohort study

Nutrition, Vitamin D, and Calcium in Elderly Patients before and after a Hip Fracture and Their Impact on the Musculoskeletal System: A Narrative Review

Hip fractures are a major health issue considerably impacting patients' quality of life and well-being. This is particularly evident in elderly subjects, in which the decline in bone and muscle mass coexists and predisposes individuals to fall and fracture. Among interventions to be implemented in hip fractured patients, the assessment and management of nutritional status is pivotal, particularly in subjects older than 65. Nutrition plays a central role in both primary and secondary preventions of fracture. An adequate protein intake improves muscle mass and strength and the intestinal absorption of calcium. Other nutrients with recognized beneficial effects on bone health are calcium, vitamins D, K, and C, potassium, magnesium, folate, and carotenoids. With reference to calcium, results from longitudinal studies showed that the consumption of dairy foods has a protective role against fractures. Moreover, the most recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses and one umbrella review demonstrated that the combination of calcium and vitamin D supplementation significantly reduces hip fracture risk, with presumed higher efficacy in older and institutionalized subjects. Owing to these reasons, the adequate intake of calcium, vitamin D, protein, and other macro and micronutrients has been successfully implemented in the Fracture Liaison Services (FLSs) that represent the most reliable model of management for hip fracture patients. In this narrative review, papers (randomized controlled trials, prospective and intervention studies, and systematic reviews) retrieved by records from three different databases (PubMed, Embase, and Medline) have been analyzed, and the available information on the screening, assessment, and management of nutritional and vitamin D status and calcium intake in patients with hip fractures is presented along with specific prevention and treatment measures.

Relationship between the perioperative prognostic nutritional index and postoperative gait function in elderly hip fractures

Objectives

We investigated the relationship between the perioperative nutritional status and postoperative walking ability in patients with hip fractures.

Methods

We included 246 surgically treated elderly patients with hip fractures who were ambulatory before the injury. Patients were divided into two groups: group A, who were able to walk at discharge, and group B, who were unable to walk at discharge. We pair-matched these two groups according to age, preoperative subdivided walking ability, and fracture site to form groups A' and B'. The prognostic nutritional index (PNI; PNI = 10 × serum albumin (g/dL) + 0.005 × blood total lymphocyte count (/mm³)) before surgery and 1 day, 1 week, and 2 weeks after surgery and energy intake 1 and 2 weeks after surgery were compared.

Results

After adjustments for age, preoperative subdivided walking ability, and fracture site, there were 51 patients in group A' (mean age 84.6 years) and 51 patients in group B' (mean age 84.7 years). In group A'/group B', PNI was 43.38/42.60 (P = 0.19) before surgery, 33.87/33.31 (P = 0.44) 1 day after surgery, 34.99/32.35 (P = 0.01) 1 week after surgery, and 37.33/35.69 (P = 0.15) 2 weeks after surgery. Energy intake was 1380.8/1203.1 kcal (P = 0.01) 1 week after surgery and 1382.0/1335.6 kcal (P = 0.60) 2 weeks after surgery.

Conclusions

PNI and energy intake at 1 week postoperatively were associated with early postoperative nutrition and the recovery of walking ability.

The association between prealbumin concentration at admission and mortality in elderly patients with hip fractures: a cohort study

Malnutrition is associated with complications and mortality in patients of hip fracture. Prealbumin may be more suitable than albumin to accurately predict the prognosis of hip fracture in elderly patients. We found that prealbumin concentration was nonlinearly associated with mortality in elderly patients with hip fracture, and an inflection point effect was observed.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the association between prealbumin concentration at admission and mortality in elderly patients with hip fractures.

METHODS

Elderly patients with hip fractures were screened between Jan 2015 and Sep 2019. Demographic and clinical characteristics of the patients were collected. Linear and nonlinear multivariate Cox regression models were used to identify the association between prealbumin concentration at admission and mortality. All analyses were performed using EmpowerStats and the R software.

RESULTS

This cohort study included 2387 patients who met the study criteria. The mean follow-up was 37.64 months. The prealbumin concentration was 162.67 ± 43.2 mg/L. Multivariate Cox regression showed that prealbumin concentration was associated with mortality in geriatric patients with hip fracture (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.95, 95% confidence intervals [CI]: 0.93-0.97, P < 0.0001). In addition, an inflection point effect was observed in the nonlinear association. The inflection point was 162.2 mg/L. If it is less than this inflection point, then every 10 mg/L increase in prealbumin was associated with a 7% reduction in the risk of death (HR = 0.93, 95%CI: 0.90-0.96, P < 0.0001). When greater than the inflection point, there was no difference in the risk of death (HR = 0.99, 95%CI: 0.95-1.03, P = 0.5127).

CONCLUSION

The prealbumin concentrations at admission were nonlinearly associated with long-term mortality in geriatric hip fractures, and 162.2 mg/L could be considered a prognostic factor of mortality risk.

Managing food waste in the inpatient population

INTRODUCTION

For medical students, food is rarely discussed from the clinical perspective. Yet, in hospitals reduced food intake poses the risk of malnutrition, along with increased morbidity and mortality. The issue of food waste, a cause of inadequate dietary intake and a common issue within the National Health Service, is rarely addressed. The implementation of protected mealtimes has done little to solve this. This quality improvement project aimed to reduce the average amount of inpatient food waste by 20% by May 2022.

METHODS

A standardised meal size intervention was tested. Meals were weighed before and after meal services to collect baseline and postintervention data. The percentage consumed and the percentage wasted were then calculated. Finally, the overall average of the percentage wasted across both meal services was determined.

RESULTS

Quantitative data showed a change in the average amount of food waste from 70.16% to 65.75%, a decrease of 4.41%. Survey results also found an increase of 3% in patient satisfaction with meal sizes.

CONCLUSION

Standardising meal sizes is shown to improve inpatient food waste and may serve as a starting point for healthcare providers to devise further strategies to reduce wastage in hospitals.

Dietary assessment methods for measurement of oral intake in acute care and critically ill hospitalised patients: a scoping review

Quantification of oral intake within the hospital setting is required to guide nutrition care. Multiple dietary assessment methods are available, yet details regarding their application in the acute care setting are scarce. This scoping review, conducted in accordance with JBI methodology, describes dietary assessment methods used to measure oral intake in acute and critical care hospital patients. The search was run across four databases to identify primary research conducted in adult acute or critical care settings from 1st of January 2000-15th March 2023 which quantified oral diet with any dietary assessment method. In total, 155 articles were included, predominantly from the acute care setting (n = 153, 99%). Studies were mainly single-centre (n = 138, 88%) and of observational design (n = 135, 87%). Estimated plate waste (n = 59, 38%) and food records (n = 43, 28%) were the most frequent assessment methods with energy and protein the main nutrients quantified (n = 81, 52%). Validation was completed in 23 (15%) studies, with the majority of these using a reference method reliant on estimation (n = 17, 74%). A quarter of studies (n = 39) quantified completion (either as complete versus incomplete or degree of completeness) and four studies (2.5%) explored factors influencing completion. Findings indicate a lack of high-quality evidence to guide selection and application of existing dietary assessment methods to quantify oral intake with a particular absence of evidence in the critical care setting. Further validation of existing tools and identification of factors influencing completion is needed to guide the optimal approach to quantification of oral intake in both research and clinical contexts.

Loss of Muscle Mass and Strength After Hip Fracture: an Intervention Target for Nutrition Supplementation

PURPOSEOF REVIEW

To summarize what is known about the deleterious effect of hip fracture on muscle mass and strength as well as the scientific evidence for post-surgical nutrition supplementation to maintain muscle and improve function.

RECENT FINDINGS

This review provides a discussion of the relationship between muscle mass, strength, and physical function following hip fracture, briefly describes the approaches to measuring lean mass, discusses prevalence of sarcopenia and malnutrition among older men and women with hip fracture, and reviews the effects of essential amino acids on muscle. Loss of muscle mass and strength following hip fracture is substantial with consequences for recovery of functional independence. EAA-based nutrition supplementation, which directly effects muscle, has potential to improve outcomes.

Implementation and operationalization of Integrated People-Centred Health Services delivery strategies in integrated osteoporosis care (IOC) initiatives: a systematic review

Integrated Osteoporosis Care (IOC) has been emerging over the past decade. To support integrated care initiatives, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has developed the Integrated People Centred Health Services (IPCHS) framework, which consists of five interdependent strategies. Five electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, World of Science, CINAHL, and Scopus) were searched for relevant studies published from January 1, 2010 to December 2022. Initiatives implementing collaborative practices and at least two IPCHS strategies were included. Quality assessment was performed using the Effective Public Health Practice Project checklist. Seventy-six publications describing 69 implementations met the inclusion criteria; 90% of them were implemented at the hospital level, and over half focused on secondary fracture prevention. Three implementations captured all five IPCHS strategies, and half applied three. Substrategies targeting individuals as beneficiaries were frequently employed. Substrategies requiring fundamental shifts (e.g., systemic coordination and updating) were seldomly implemented. Substantive heterogeneity in substrategy operationalization was observed. Patient education, standardized care, team-based care, care coordinators, and health care provider training were commonly pursued. IOC interventions have focused mainly on secondary fracture prevention in a hospital setting and have been narrowly operationalized. Future implementation should: employ all five IPCHS strategies; better align programmes, providers, and regulatory frameworks, while adapting funding mechanisms; and operationalize broader and more innovative substrategies.Registration: This review has been registered at the international prospective register of systematic reviews PROSPERO (CRD42021250244).

Clinical applications of body composition and functional status tools for nutrition assessment of hospitalized adults: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

No global consensus exists on diagnostic criteria for malnutrition. Muscular deficits and functional impairments are major components of available malnutrition diagnostic frameworks because these facets of nutrition status significantly impact outcomes. The purpose of this review is to explore which body composition assessment (BCA) and functional status assessment (FSA) tools are being used for nutrition assessment (NA) and monitoring the response to nutrition interventions (RNIs) in adult inpatients.

METHODS

A literature search of Embase, Medline (Ovid), Web of Science, and Cochrane Central was performed to identify studies that used BCA and/or FSA tools for NA (along with an accepted NA diagnostic framework) and/or for monitoring RNI in adult inpatients.

RESULTS

The search yielded 3667 articles; 94 were included in the review. The number of studies using BCA and/or FSA tools for NA was 47 and also 47 for monitoring RNI. Seventy-nine percent of studies used bioimpedance for BCA, and 97% that included FSA utilized handgrip strength. When compared against sets of diagnostic criteria, many of the BCA and FSA tools showed promising associations with nutrition status.

CONCLUSION

Bioimpedance methods are the most widely used bedside BCA tools, and handgrip strength is the most widely used FSA tool; however, these methods are being used with a variety of protocols, algorithms, and interpretation practices in heterogeneous populations. To create a standardized nutrition status assessment process there is a need for validation studies on bedside methods and the development of globally standardized assessment protocols in clinical inpatient settings.

How Physicians Can Assess and Address Dietary Behaviors to Reduce Chronic Disease Risk

With the growing burden of diet-related chronic disease impacting the public's health, nutrition counseling in a primary care setting is essential and can be accomplished through brief and creative approaches. This article reviews an example of a brief dietary assessment and counseling tool and counseling strategies focusing on dietary behavior changes that emphasize impact on health outcomes, ease of behavior change, and affordability. These, plus integrating office supports, are practical ways to start the conversation about improving diet quality with patients. Collaborative efforts in nutrition care, particularly through collaboration with registered dietitians, present a valuable opportunity to meet the nutrition care needs of patients. Additionally, this article reviews screening for eating disorders, food insecurity, and dietary supplement use.

Perioperative Nutritional Support: A Review of Current Literature

Since the beginning of the practice of surgery, the reduction of postoperative complications and early recovery have been two of the fundamental pillars that have driven the improvement of surgical techniques and perioperative management. Despite great advances in these fields, the rationalization of antibiotic prophylaxis, and other important innovations, postoperative recovery (especially in elderly patients, oncological pathology or digestive or head and neck surgery) is tortuous. This can be explained by several reasons, among which, malnutrition has a major role. Perioperative nutritional support, included within the ERAS (Enhanced Recovery After Surgery) protocol, has proven to be a main element and a critical step to achieve better surgical results. Starting with the preoperative nutritional assessment and treatment in elective surgery, we can improve nutritional status using oral supplements and immunomodulatory formulas. If we add early nutritional support in the postoperative scenario, we are able to significantly reduce infectious complications, need for intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital stay, costs, and mortality. Throughout this review, we will review the latest developments and the available literature.

Systematic review of interventions targeting fundamental care to reduce hospital-associated decline in older patients

AIMS

To examine the effectiveness of targeted nursing interventions on mobilization, nutrition and cognitive engagement to reduce functional and hospital-associated decline (HAD) in older patients.

DESIGN

Systematic review of experimental studies using randomized and quasi-experimental designs.

DATA SOURCES

We searched electronic databases CINAHL, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane library, google scholar and BMJ quality reports from January 2009 to February 2020.

REVIEW METHODS

We reviewed intervention studies that targeted ward nursing teams to increase mobilization, nutrition or cognitive engagement of older adults. Inclusion criteria included older patients, acute care (medical, surgical and older adult wards) and reporting patient level outcomes. Quality appraisal included the Joanna Briggs Critical Appraisal Checklist for Quasi-Experimental Studies.

RESULTS

From 1729 papers, 18 studies using quasi-experimental and pre-post designs were selected. Study heterogeneity necessitated a narrative synthesis. The quality of evidence was low to moderate. All studies used multicomponent strategies, and 10 studies used evidence translation frameworks to align interventions to local barriers. Overall, 74% (n = 14) of studies reported a significant improvement in the stated primary outcome. Eight studies reported a significant increase in mobilization (e.g., sitting in a chair or walking), and four reported improved functional outcomes. Five studies improved nutrition outcomes (e.g., protein or energy intake), and three studies reported a significant reduction in delirium.

CONCLUSION

Acknowledging methodological limitations, the evidence indicates that nursing teams using evidence-translation frameworks can improve mobilization, nutrition and cognitive engagement in acute care settings. Future research requires higher-quality pragmatic trial designs, standardized outcomes, staff co-designed interventions, evidence-translation frameworks and patient engagement to make more confident inference about effectiveness.

IMPACT

Nursing teams with the support of hospital management have to address ward and system barriers to prioritize fundamental care to improve patient outcomes. There is sufficient evidence on multicomponent interventions and implementation strategies to inform nurse-led quality improvement.

Critical analysis of factors affecting the efficiency of nutrition therapy teams

BACKGROUND

Nutrition therapy (NT), defined as the provision of oral, enteral, or parenteral nutrition, should be considered a part of the holistic approach to patient care, while quality assessment of its practices is crucial. The present study aimed to identify variables capable of explaining the reason behind compliance of NTTs with the regulatory requirements.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study focused on assessing the quality of nutritional therapy practices among NTTs who previously stated to be able to comply with requirements of the Brazilian law versus those who were not able to meet these demands. Hospitals were classified as A (teams that had previously reported to be able to meet the requirements) and B (those unable to comply with them). The study was approved by the ethics committees of all participant institutions.

RESULTS

Twenty six hospitals met the inclusion criteria. The main hospital features, such as size, classification, service type, and percentage of hospitals providing NT were similar. Hospitals differed on the median number of patients undergoing NT per week: in group B (41.0; IR = 28.0-58.0) and group A (11.0; IR = 5.0-48.0) (p < 0.05), but there were no differences regarding personnel expertise. Both hospital groups had low quality control of the NT processes.

CONCLUSION

Lack of quality assurance is responsible for the inadequate services in both type of institutions.

Effect of heart failure and malnutrition, alone and in combination, on rehabilitation effectiveness in patients with hip fracture

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Heart failure and malnutrition are known to each negatively affect a patient's ability to improve their activities of daily living (ADL) through rehabilitation. Here, we investigated whether the negative effects of malnutrition and heart failure on ADL are additive in patients after hip fracture.

METHODS

This retrospective observational cohort study included 155 patients with hip fracture admitted to convalescent rehabilitation wards. Nutritional status was measured with the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI). Heart failure was assessed using plasma B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels. Based on their GNRIs and BNP levels, patients were classified into four groups: a high GNRI (≥92)-low BNP (<100 pg/ml) group (n = 54); high GNRI-high BNP (≥100 pg/ml) group (n = 7); low GNRI (<92)-low BNP group (n = 67); and low GNRI-high BNP group (n = 27). The main outcome was rehabilitation effectiveness (REs). To confirm above hypothesis, heart failure was also assessed by American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) stage classification, whereas nutrition was assessed by Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF), either.

RESULTS

REs in the high GNRI-low BNP group, high GNRI-high BNP group, low GNRI-low BNP group, and low GNRI-high BNP group were 64.8 ± 22.6%, 36.0 ± 22.0%, 40.6 ± 23.6% and 28.5 ± 25.9%, respectively. REs was higher in the high GNRI-low BNP group than in other three groups, and REs in the low GNRI-low BNP group was higher than in the low GNRI-high BNP group. When we evaluated heart failure by ACC/AHA stage classification instead of BNP, or evaluated nutrition by MNA-SF instead of GNRI, the similar results were demonstrated. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that age (p < 0.01), handgrip strength (p < 0.01), GNRI (p < 0.05), and BNP (p < 0.01) were significantly associated with REs.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that malnutrition and heart failure are independently associated with REs and that they have an additive negative effect on improvement of ADL in elderly patients with hip fractures.

Multidisciplinary Provision of Food and Nutritional Care to Hospitalized Adult In-Patients: A Scoping Review

PURPOSE

Multidisciplinary approaches to nutritional care are increasingly emphasized and recommended. However, there is little evidence of how different disciplines work together collaboratively to deliver optimum quality care to adult in-patients. This scoping review aimed to describe the existing literature on multidisciplinary collaboration to identify the various disciplines involved and the features that influence collaborative working in implementing multidisciplinary food and nutritional care with adult in-patients.

METHODS

Multiple databases were searched, including MEDLINE Complete, Embase, CINAHL Complete, HMIC, and Scopus, from their inception to December 2019. Data were retrieved from eligible studies. A narrative description of findings is reported with respect to the disciplines involved, the aspects of nutritional care explored, and the collaborative processes categorized using the input, process, and outcome framework.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies with heterogeneous study designs met the eligibility criteria. Studies were undertaken in six countries. Findings show a wide diversity of multidisciplinary collaborations in various aspects of nutritional care in all studies. Multidisciplinary nutritional care provision was facilitated by several processes, including training and development, communication and information sharing, and clinical leadership and management support. Outcomes were reported at the patient, team, and organizational levels.

CONCLUSION

This review reveals the significance of the interrelationship between different disciplines and their complementary contributions towards the delivery of optimal food and nutritional care. Key aspects include the involvement of different disciplines, the clarification of roles and multidisciplinary interrelationships, communication, information sharing, clinical leadership, and management support, all of which facilitated collaborative working. Our review uncovered that these features can significantly influence multidisciplinary working. This review is the first to present literature concerning the attributes that affect collaborative working. Further research is recommended specifically around multidisciplinary nutritional care processes and conditions that allow for better collaborative working.

Impact of a Postoperative Intervention Educational Program on the Quality of Life of Patients with Hip Fracture: A Randomized, Open-Label Controlled Trial

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of a postoperative educational intervention program on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with hip fracture using a controlled clinical trial in a randomized, multicenter study. In total, 102 patients (45.5%) from trauma units at the two University Hospitals of the province of Cáceres received the educational program, whereas 122 (54.5%) did not. Patients were consecutively included in either an intervention or a control group. Patients from the intervention group received an educational program during admission and the postoperative period. Patients from the control group did not receive any educational program. These patients were managed according to routine protocols. The patients were predominantly female (76.3%), aged 84.6 years (SD 6.1). All dimensions in both groups at 12 months showed a significant decrease with respect to baseline, except for bodily pain in both groups (p = 0.447; p = 0.827) and social functioning in the intervention group (p = 0.268). Patients receiving the educational program showed higher levels in the dimensions of the Mental Component Summary (MCS-12) (p = 0.043), vitality (p = 0.010), and social functioning (p < 0.001), as well as in the dimensions of the SF-12 health survey questionnaire of HRQoL 12 months after surgery. In conclusion, our study of the intervention group showed that there were significant improvements in MCS-12, vitality, and social function dimensions compared to the control group.

Hip Fracture Patients in Geriatric Rehabilitation Show Poor Nutritional Status, Dietary Intake and Muscle Health

The aim of this study was to gain insight into the nutritional status, dietary intake and muscle health of older Dutch hip fracture patients to prevent recurrent fractures and to underpin rehabilitation programs. This cross-sectional study enrolled 40 hip fracture patients (mean ± SD age 82 ± 8.0 years) from geriatric rehabilitation wards of two nursing homes in the Netherlands. Assessments included nutritional status (Mini Nutritional Assessment), dietary intake on three non-consecutive days which were compared with Dietary Reference Intake values, and handgrip strength. Muscle mass was measured using Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis and ultrasound scans of the rectus femoris. Malnutrition or risk of malnutrition was present in 73% of participants. Mean energy, protein, fibre and polyunsaturated fat intakes were significantly below the recommendations, while saturated fat was significantly above the UL. Protein intake was <0.8 in 46% and <1.2 g/(kg·day) in 92%. Regarding micronutrients, mean intakes of calcium, vitamin D, potassium, magnesium and selenium were significantly below the recommendations. The prevalence of low muscle mass, low handgrip strength and sarcopenia were 35, 27 and 10%, respectively. In conclusion, a poor nutritional status, dietary intake and muscle health are common in older hip fracture patients in geriatric rehabilitation wards.

High prevalence of malnutrition both on hospital admission and predischarge

OBJECTIVES

In Dutch hospitals malnutrition screening is routinely performed at admission, but not during follow-up or before discharge. Therefore we evaluated nutritional status during hospitalization and predischarge in a routine care setting.

METHODS

The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA) was used to assess nutritional status (PG-SGA Categories: A = well nourished, B = moderate/suspected malnutrition, C = severely malnourished) in adult patients on four wards of a university hospital at admission, day 5, day 10, and day ≥15. Because data were obtained in the context of clinical routine, not all data points are available for all patients. Last assessment before discharge (within ≤4 d) was taken as predischarge measurement.

RESULTS

PG-SGA data at admission were obtained in 584 patients (age 57.2 ± 17.3 y, 51.4% women, body mass index 27.0 ± 5.5 kg/m²). Prevalence of PG-SGA stage B/C was 31% at admission, 56% on day 5 (n = 292), 66% on day 10 (n = 101), and 79% on day ≥15 (n = 14). PG-SGA predischarge data were available in 537 patients, 36% of whom were PG-SGA stage B/C. Of the 91 patients assessed both at admission and predischarge, 30% of well-nourished patients became malnourished and 82% of malnourished patients remained so.

CONCLUSIONS

Prevalence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients is high at admission (31%) and, importantly, also high predischarge (36%). Malnutrition is more prevalent in patients with a longer length of stay. These findings underscore the importance of follow-up of nutritional status in hospitalized patients and adequate transmural nutrition care after discharge to prevent malnutrition from remaining undetected and untreated.

Perioperative nutritional supplementation and skeletal muscle mass in older hip-fracture patients

Older people with hip fractures are often malnourished at the time of fracture, which can have substantial influence on mortality and clinical outcomes, as well as functional outcome and quality of life. A close relationship between protein intake and muscle maintenance has been demonstrated. Skeletal muscle weakness is an independent risk factor for falls and fall-related injuries in the elderly and is an independent marker of prognosis. However, the effect of perioperative nutritional interventions on outcomes in elderly hip-fracture patients remains controversial. In this narrative review, an overview is presented of the existing literature on nutritional status and sarcopenia in elderly hip-fracture patients, clinical outcomes, and the effects of nutritional intervention on outcome and rehabilitation in this patient group.

[Research progress of multidisciplinary team co-management models for geriatric hip fracture treatment]

Objective

To summarize the research progress of multidisciplinary team (MDT) co-management models in the clinical treatment of geriatric hip fractures.

Methods

The literature about types and characteristics of MDT for geriatric hip fracture treatment were extensively reviewed, and the advantages of its clinical application were analysed and summarised. Finally, the MDT model and characteristics of geriatric hip fracture in the Zhongda Hospital affiliated to Southeast University were introduced in detail.

Results

Clinical models of MDT are diverse and have their own characteristics, and MDT can shorten the length of stay and waiting time before operation, reduce the incidence of internal complications, save labor costs, and reduce patient mortality.

Conclusion

The application of MDT in the treatment of geriatric hip fracture has achieved remarkable results, which provides an optimal scheme for the treatment of geriatric hip fracture.

Preoperative Serum Albumin Level As A Predictor Of Postoperative Pneumonia After Femoral Neck Fracture Surgery In A Geriatric Population

Purpose

Femoral neck fracture usually occurs in the geriatric population. Postoperative pneumonia (POP) is known to be devastated, and it is the most frequent complication among patients receiving surgical treatment for femoral neck fractures. However, whether patients who have hypoalbuminaemia are susceptible to the development of POP is a serious concern, although it has not been investigated. We attempted to investigate the association between newly developed POP and hypoalbuminaemia and to identify whether hypoalbuminaemia is an independent risk factor for POP after femoral neck fracture in geriatric population.

Patients and methods

We retrospectively reviewed the records from the first 30 days after surgery of patients who were ≥65 years of age and who had a femoral neck fracture treated with surgery between January 2018 and December 2018 at the Honghui Hospital, Xi’an Jiaotong University. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they did or did not experience POP, and their clinical characteristics were compared. Binomial logistic regression was used to identify potential risk factors of POP by analysing demographic factors, preoperative comorbidities, laboratory results, and surgical factors.

Results

A total of 720 patients were included in the analysis, and 54 patients experienced POP. The incidence of POP after surgical treatment for a femoral neck fracture in this geriatric population was 7.5%. In addition, patients with POP had significantly longer hospital stays than patients without POP. The binary logistic regression analysis revealed that preoperative hypoalbuminaemia [odds ratio =5.187, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.561–10.506, P<0.0001], COPD (OR =3.819, 95% CI: 1.247–11.701, P=0.019), prior stroke (OR =3.107, 95% CI: 1.470–6.568, P=0.003) and the time from injury to surgery (OR =1.076, 95% CI: 1.034–1.119, P<0.0001) were predominant and independent risk factors associated with POP after femoral neck fracture in this geriatric population.

Conclusion

The current study revealed that among a geriatric population admitted for femoral neck fracture surgery, preoperative hypoalbuminaemia was a predictor of POP, followed by COPD, prior stroke and the time from injury to surgery. Thus, patients who undergo femoral neck fracture surgery and have preoperative hypoalbuminaemia should receive additional monitoring and perioperative care.

Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index and Controlling Nutritional Status Score can predict postoperative 180-day mortality in hip fracture surgeries

BACKGROUND

The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) based on serum albumin level and body weight and the Controlling Nutritional Status Score (CONUT) based on serum albumin level, total cholesterol level, and total lymphocyte count were created to evaluate objectively a patient's nutritional status in 2005. Here we validated the usefulness of the GNRI and the CONUT as a prognostic factor of the 180-day mortality in patients who underwent hip fracture surgeries. We retrospectively collected data from patients with hip surgeries performed from January 2012 to December 2018. The variables required for the GNRI and the CONUT and the factors presumably associated with postoperative mortality including the patients' characteristics were collected from the medical charts. Intergroup differences were assessed with the χ² test with Yates' correlation for continuity in category variables. The Mann-Whitney U test was used to test for differences in continuous variables. We validated the power of the GNRI and the CONUT values to distinguish patients who died ≤ 180 days post-surgery from those who did not, by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). The correlation between these two models was analyzed by Spearman's rank correlation (ρ).

RESULTS

We retrospectively examined the cases of 607 patients aged 87 ± 6 (range 70-102) years old. The 180-day mortality rate was 5.4% (n = 33 non-survivors). The GNRI value in the non-survivors was 83 ± 9 (range 66-111), which was significantly lower than that in the survivors at 92 ± 9 (range 64-120). The CONUT value in the non-survivors was 6 ± 3 (range 1-11), which was significantly higher than that in the survivors at 4 ± 2 (range 0-11). The AUC value to predict the 180-day mortality was 0.74 for the GNRI and 0.72 for the CONUT. The ρ value between these two models was 0.61 in the total of 607 patients and was 0.78 in the 33 non-survivors.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that the GNRI and the CONUT are a simple and useful tool to predict the 180-day mortality in patients who have undergone a hip surgery.

[Reconstruction of lower limbs in old age-an interdisciplinary approach : Geriatric assessment, perioperative management, diagnostics and treatment targets]

Complex injuries of the lower extremities in geriatric patients with multiple pre-existing comorbidities represent an increasing challenge to an interdisciplinary team of surgeons. Functional reconstruction of the extremity through osteosynthesis, revascularization and defect coverage aims to preserve mobility and achieve an early return to activities of daily life at home, while avoiding major amputation and the associated risks regarding morbidity and mortality. An interdisciplinary assessment of geriatric patients regarding dystrophy of soft tissue and skín, cardiovascular and metabolic comorbidities as well as specific geriatric diagnostics are crucial steps in ensuring favorable outcomes. Perioperatively, all improvable risk factors should be actively optimized and a specialized interdisciplinary approach to treatment planning (extremity board) is absolutely necessary for success of treatment. It outlines the special features of the geriatric assessment, diagnostics, perioperative management and treatment targets.

Prognostic Role of Serum Albumin, Total Lymphocyte Count, and Mini Nutritional Assessment on Outcomes After Geriatric Hip Fracture Surgery: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Hip fracture is a significant health risk for older adults and malnutrition indicates hip fracture risk.

METHODS

We evaluated whether nutrition status could predict clinical outcomes and mortality after hip fracture surgery in older adults. MEDLINE, Cochrane, EMBASE, and Google Scholar databases were searched for studies published until July 1, 2018, in patients with serum albumin or total lymphocyte count (TLC) at admission, nutritional status by Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and in-hospital follow-up. Data extracted were analyzed using random-effects or fixed-effects models.

RESULTS

Nineteen studies with 34,363 adults aged 74-85 years receiving hip fracture surgery were eligible for inclusion. Among these studies, 13 were screened for low albumin, 4 were evaluated for TLC, and 4 for nutritional status by MNA. Hypoalbuminemia was significantly associated with higher total mortality and higher risk of in-hospital death (both P < .001). Low TLC and MNA results "at risk of malnutrition" (hazard ratio, 1.67; 95% confidence interval = 1.28-2.18) and "malnourished" nutritional status (hazard ratio, 2.65; 95% CI = 1.81-3.88) also were significantly associated with higher total mortality (all P < .001).

CONCLUSION

Low serum albumin level is a sole indicator for increased risk of in-hospital death, postoperative complications, and total mortality after hip fracture surgery in older adults. Low TLC and malnutrition classified by MNA predict increased mortality. These indicators provide valuable prognostic information and routine use may be prudent.

Effect of Clinical Care Pathways on Quality of Life and Physical Function After Fragility Fracture: A Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of clinical care pathways (CCPs) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and physical function following fragility fracture and identify the specific characteristics of CCPs that are associated with improved outcomes.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

Randomized controlled studies and nonrandomized studies that involved participants aged ≥50 years who sustained a fragility fracture, evaluated the effects of a CCP compared to usual care, and reported outcomes of HRQoL or physical function.

METHODS

We systematically searched Ovid Medline, CINAHL, Embase, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from the earliest records to July 25, 2018. Two reviewers independently extracted study data and assessed methodologic quality.

RESULTS

Overall, 22 studies (17 randomized controlled trials, 5 nonrandomized studies) were included, comprising 5842 participants. Twenty-one studies included hip fracture patients, and 1 included wrist fracture patients. Majority of studies (82%) were assessed as high quality. Meta-analyses showed moderate improvements in the CCP group for HRQoL [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 0.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.12, 0.35] and physical function (SMD 0.21, 95% CI 0.10, 0.33) compared with usual care post hip fracture. Inpatient CCPs that extended to the outpatient setting showed greater improvements in HRQoL and physical function compared to CCPs that were only inpatient or outpatient. CCPs that included a care coordinator, geriatric assessment, rehabilitation, prevention of inpatient complications, nutritional advice, or discharge planning also showed greater improvements in outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Treatment with CCPs following fragility fracture showed greater improvements in HRQoL and physical function compared with usual care. Further research is warranted to assess the combination of CCP components that provide the most beneficial results, evaluate the effect of CCPs in patients with nonhip fractures, and determine which patient groups are more likely to benefit from CCPs.

An Acquaintance with An Aging Society

Low birth rates and higher life expectancy have been ravaging Japanese society. This article summarizes some of the latest medical knowledge and assistive activities, with a nod toward one nonprofit organization’s efforts to deliver better home healthcare to the elderly through housing and technologies, in the world’s first super-aging society. The response to the transforming society requires a combination of familiar customs and new technologies that create a favorable environment for mobility and continuous learning that are key to elderly health. As other countries will face similar issues, further international interdisciplinary knowledge-building will be necessary to face the challenges of super-aging societies.

Association of depression with malnutrition, grip strength and impaired cognitive function among senior trauma patients

BACKGROUND

Depression is common among senior adults, yet understudied among trauma patients. The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of depressive symptoms among seniors hospitalized in acute trauma care, to compare patients with depressive symptoms vs. those without, and to evaluate whether depression symptoms affects discharge destination.

METHODS

This cross-sectional and prospective analysis was conducted among community-dwelling patients ≥70 years old, hospitalized at the Senior Trauma Center of the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. We used the Geriatric Depression Scale (GDS-15) to assess presence of depressive symptoms. Using a cutoff value of 5 points, we compared age- and gender-adjusted characteristics of patients with and without depressive symptoms. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds of returning home vs. not adjusting for age, gender, nutritional status, cognitive function and others.

RESULTS

Of the 273 seniors enrolled, 104 (38.1%) were men and the mean age was 79.4 (SD = 6.5) years. We identified 52 (19.0%) patients with depressive symptoms. These patients were more likely to be older (p = 0.04), at risk for malnutrition (p<0.0001), at least pre-frail (p = 0.005), and have decreased cognitive function (p = 0.001). They were also more than twice as likely to be discharged to acute geriatric care compared to home (OR = 2.28 (CI = 1.12-4.68)).

LIMITATIONS

Depressive symptoms were assessed during acute care without data before hospitalization.

CONCLUSIONS

Senior trauma patients with depressive symptoms during acute care were more likely to be at higher risk of malnutrition, have cognitive decline and are more likely to receive additional geriatric care.

ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition and dehydration are widespread in older people, and obesity is an increasing problem. In clinical practice, it is often unclear which strategies are suitable and effective in counteracting these key health threats.

AIM

To provide evidence-based recommendations for clinical nutrition and hydration in older persons in order to prevent and/or treat malnutrition and dehydration. Further, to address whether weight-reducing interventions are appropriate for overweight or obese older persons.

METHODS

This guideline was developed according to the standard operating procedure for ESPEN guidelines and consensus papers. A systematic literature search for systematic reviews and primary studies was performed based on 33 clinical questions in PICO format. Existing evidence was graded according to the SIGN grading system. Recommendations were developed and agreed in a multistage consensus process.

RESULTS

We provide eighty-two evidence-based recommendations for nutritional care in older persons, covering four main topics: Basic questions and general principles, recommendations for older persons with malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition, recommendations for older patients with specific diseases, and recommendations to prevent, identify and treat dehydration. Overall, we recommend that all older persons shall routinely be screened for malnutrition in order to identify an existing risk early. Oral nutrition can be supported by nursing interventions, education, nutritional counseling, food modification and oral nutritional supplements. Enteral nutrition should be initiated if oral, and parenteral if enteral nutrition is insufficient or impossible and the general prognosis is altogether favorable. Dietary restrictions should generally be avoided, and weight-reducing diets shall only be considered in obese older persons with weight-related health problems and combined with physical exercise. All older persons should be considered to be at risk of low-intake dehydration and encouraged to consume adequate amounts of drinks. Generally, interventions shall be individualized, comprehensive and part of a multimodal and multidisciplinary team approach.

CONCLUSION

A range of effective interventions is available to support adequate nutrition and hydration in older persons in order to maintain or improve nutritional status and improve clinical course and quality of life. These interventions should be implemented in clinical practice and routinely used.

Developing a multidisciplinary rehabilitation package following hip fracture and testing in a randomised feasibility study: Fracture in the Elderly Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation (FEMuR)

BACKGROUND

Proximal femoral fracture is a major health problem in old age, with annual UK health and social care costs of £2.3B. Rehabilitation has the potential to maximise functional recovery and maintain independent living, but evidence of clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness is lacking.

OBJECTIVES

To develop an enhanced community-based rehabilitation package following surgical treatment for proximal femoral fracture and to assess acceptability and feasibility for a future definitive randomised controlled trial (RCT) and economic evaluation.

DESIGN

Phase I - realist review, survey and focus groups to develop the rehabilitation package. Phase II - parallel-group, randomised (using a dynamic adaptive algorithm) feasibility study with focus groups and an anonymised cohort study.

SETTING

Recruitment was from orthopaedic wards of three acute hospitals in the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, North Wales. The intervention was delivered in the community following hospital discharge.

PARTICIPANTS

Older adults (aged ≥ 65 years) who had received surgical treatment for hip fracture, lived independently prior to fracture, had mental capacity (assessed by the clinical team) and received rehabilitation in the North Wales area.

INTERVENTIONS

Participants received usual care (control) or usual care plus an enhanced rehabilitation package (intervention). Usual care was variable and consisted of multidisciplinary rehabilitation delivered by the acute hospital, community hospital and community services depending on need and availability. The intervention was designed to enhance rehabilitation by improving patients' self-efficacy and increasing the amount and quality of patients' practice of physical exercise and activities of daily living. It consisted of a patient-held information workbook, a goal-setting diary and six additional therapy sessions.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

The primary outcome measure was the Barthel Activities of Daily Living (BADL) index. The secondary outcome measures included the Nottingham Extended Activities of Daily Living (NEADL) scale, EuroQol-5 Dimensions, ICEpop CAPability measure for Older people, General Self-Efficacy Scale, Falls Efficacy Scale - International (FES-I), Self-Efficacy for Exercise scale, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and service use measures. Outcome measures were assessed at baseline and at 3-month follow-up by blinded researchers.

RESULTS

Sixty-two participants were recruited (23% of those who were eligible), 61 were randomised (control, n = 32; intervention, n = 29) and 49 (79%) were followed up at 3 months. Compared with the cohort study, a younger, healthier subpopulation was recruited. There were minimal differences in most outcomes between the two groups, including the BADL index, with an adjusted mean difference of 0.5 (Cohen's d = 0.29). The intervention group showed a medium-sized improvement on the NEADL scale relative to the control group, with an adjusted mean difference between groups of 3.0 (Cohen's d = 0.63). There was a trend for greater improvement in FES-I and HADS in the intervention group, but with small effect sizes, with an adjusted mean difference of 4.2 (Cohen's d = 0.31) and 1.3 (Cohen's d = 0.20), respectively. The cost of delivering the intervention was £231 per patient. There was a possible small relative increase in quality-adjusted life-years in the intervention group. No serious adverse events relating to the intervention were reported.

CONCLUSIONS

Trial methods were feasible in terms of eligibility, recruitment and retention, although recruitment was challenging. The NEADL scale was more responsive than the BADL index, suggesting that the intervention could enable participants to regain better levels of independence compared with usual care. This should be tested in a definitive Phase III RCT. There were two main limitations of the study: the feasibility study lacked power to test for differences between the groups and a ceiling effect was observed in the primary measure.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN22464643.

FUNDING

This project was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 21, No. 44. See the NIHR Journals Library for further project information.

Effects of a multi-component nutritional telemonitoring intervention on nutritional status, diet quality, physical functioning and quality of life of community-dwelling older adults

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an intervention including nutritional telemonitoring, nutrition education, and follow-up by a nurse on nutritional status, diet quality, appetite, physical functioning and quality of life of Dutch community-dwelling elderly. We used a parallel arm pre-test post-test design with 214 older adults (average age 80 years) who were allocated to the intervention group (n97) or control group (n107), based on the municipality. The intervention group received a 6-month intervention including telemonitoring measurements, nutrition education and follow-up by a nurse. Effect measurements took place at baseline, after 4·5 months, and at the end of the study. The intervention improved nutritional status of participants at risk of undernutrition (β(T1)=2·55; 95 % CI 1·41, 3·68;β(T2)=1·77; 95 % CI 0·60, 2·94) and scores for compliance with Dutch guidelines for the intake of vegetables (β=1·27; 95 % CI 0·49, 2·05), fruit (β=1·24; 95 % CI 0·60, 1·88), dietary fibre (β=1·13; 95 % CI 0·70, 1·57), protein (β=1·20; 95 % CI 0·15, 2·24) and physical activity (β=2·13; 95 % CI 0·98, 3·29). The intervention did not have an effect on body weight, appetite, physical functioning and quality of life. In conclusion, this intervention leads to improved nutritional status in older adults at risk of undernutrition, and to improved diet quality and physical activity levels of community-dwelling elderly. Future studies with a longer duration should focus on older adults at higher risk of undernutrition than this study population to investigate whether the impact of the intervention on nutritional and functional outcomes can be improved.

Nutritional Status and Nutritional Treatment Are Related to Outcomes and Mortality in Older Adults with Hip Fracture

Malnutrition is very prevalent in geriatric patients with hip fracture. Nevertheless, its importance is not fully recognized. The objective of this paper is to review the impact of malnutrition and of nutritional treatment upon outcomes and mortality in older people with hip fracture. We searched the PubMed database for studies evaluating nutritional aspects in people aged 70 years and over with hip fracture. The total number of studies included in the review was 44, which analyzed 26,281 subjects (73.5% women, 83.6 ± 7.2 years old). Older people with hip fracture presented an inadequate nutrient intake for their requirements, which caused deterioration in their already compromised nutritional status. The prevalence of malnutrition was approximately 18.7% using the Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) (large or short form) as a diagnostic tool, but the prevalence was greater (45.7%) if different criteria were used (such as Body Mass Index (BMI), weight loss, or albumin concentration). Low scores in anthropometric indices were associated with a higher prevalence of complications during hospitalization and with a worse functional recovery. Despite improvements in the treatment of geriatric patients with hip fracture, mortality was still unacceptably high (30% within 1 year and up to 40% within 3 years). Malnutrition was associated with an increase in mortality. Nutritional intervention was cost effective and was associated with an improvement in nutritional status and a greater functional recovery. To conclude, in older people, the prevention of malnutrition and an early nutritional intervention can improve recovery following a hip fracture.

Increasing Severity of Malnutrition Is Associated With Poorer 30-Day Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Hip Fracture Surgery

OBJECTIVES

Low serum albumin levels (hypoalbuminemia) have classically been used to identify malnutrition. The effect of increasing severity of malnutrition on postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery has not been well delineated on a large scale.

DESIGN

Retrospective.

SETTING

Multicenter.

PATIENT/PARTICIPANTS

A total of 12,373 patients undergoing hip fracture surgery from 2006 to 2013 National Surgery Quality Improvement Project data were identified.

INTERVENTION

Patient demographic, comorbidity, and preoperative laboratory data and complication, reoperation, and readmission data were collected.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASUREMENTS

Multivariate logistic regression was used to determine the effect of increasing severity of malnutrition on rates of 30-day postoperative complications, readmissions, and reoperations.

RESULTS

A total of 12,373 hip fractures met inclusion criteria. A total of 6506 (52.6%) patients had normal albumin levels (albumin ≥3.5 g/dL), 3205 (25.9%) patients were mildly malnourished (albumin 3.1-3.49 g/dL), 2265 (18.3%) were moderately malnourished (albumin 2.4-3.1 g/dL), and 397 (3.2%) patients were severely malnourished (albumin <2.4 g/dL). Mean age was similar between the 4 cohorts (P < 0.001). Severe malnutrition was associated with a 2-fold increase in the odds of postoperative complications and mortality when compared with mild malnutrition (P < 0.001). Increasing severity of malnutrition was associated with significantly longer lengths of stay and higher odds of experiencing a related readmission (P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing severity of hypoalbuminemia is independently associated with poorer outcomes in the 30 days after hip fracture surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Prognostic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

Quality of life and psychological consequences in elderly patients after a hip fracture: a review

Fractures due to fragility of the bone around the hip joint have become a major public health issue, presenting with an increasing incidence due to the growth of the elderly population. The purpose of this review was to evaluate the impact of hip fractures on the quality of life (QoL), health status (HS), functioning, and psychological parameters, and factors influencing the outcome and the appropriate interventions for improvement of elderly patients. A systematic electronic search of the relevant literature was carried out using the CINAHL, Cochrane, EMBASE, Medline (OvidSP), and PubMed databases spanning the time period from their establishment up to January 2017. Forty-nine randomized controlled trials or prospective cohort studies reporting the QoL and psychological outcomes were assessed by using standardized questionnaires. Patients with a hip fracture who were older than 65 years, were included in the analysis. In the majority of elderly patients, the hip fracture seriously affected physical and mental functioning and exerted a severe impact on their HS and health-related QoL (HRQoL). Moreover, most of the patients did not return to prefracture levels of performance regarding both the parameters. The levels of mental, physical, and nutritional status, prior to the fracture, comorbidity, and female gender, in addition to the postoperative pain, complications, and the length of hospital stay, were the factors associated with the outcome. Psychosocial factors and symptoms of depression could increase pain severity and emotional distress. For the displaced femoral neck fractures, the treatment with total hip arthroplasty or hemiarthroplasty, when compared to the treatment with internal fixation, provided a better functional outcome. Supportive rehabilitation programs, complemented by psychotherapy and nutritional supplementation prior to and after surgery, provided beneficial effects on the HS and the psychosocial dimension of the more debilitated patients’ lives. Lack of consensus concerning the most appropriate HRQoL questionnaires to screen and identify those patients with more difficulties in the psychosocial functions, demonstrates the necessity for further research to assess the newer outcome measurement tools, which might improve our understanding for better care of patients with hip fractures.

Effects of Nutritional Status on 6-Month Outcome of Hip Fractures in Elderly Patients

Objective

To identify the prevalence of malnutrition in elderly hip fracture and to investigate the relationship between hip fracture patients and malnutrition on functional recovery and mortality.

Methods

All hip fracture patients age >65 years admitted to a rehabilitation unit were recruited from July 2015 to June 2016. Nutritional status was assessed by Mini-Nutritional Assessment Short-Form (MNA-SF) within 72 hours of admission. Patients were reassessed at 6 months for functional status and place of residence. Length of hospital stay, in-patient mortality rate, and 6-month mortality rate were also recorded.

Results

There were 218 patients recruited. The mean age was 83.5±7.5 years. According the MNA-SF, 46 (21.1%) were well nourished, 115 (52.6%) were at risk of malnutrition, and 57 (26.1%) were malnourished. Malnourished individuals were significantly older, had lower Mini-Mental State Examination score and albumin level, were functionally more dependent and were more likely to reside in elderly care facility. A higher proportion of elderly care residents were at-risk or were malnourished on admission, discharge and at 6 months. Functional recovery was slower in the malnourished group. In-patient mortality was higher in malnourished individuals compared to those at risk of malnourishment and well-nourished individuals.

Conclusion

The prevalence of malnutrition is high and is associated with poor functional recovery and elderly care placement. Residents of elderly care facilities are especially at risk due a higher prevalence of malnourishment. Health authorities are encouraged to evaluate the dietetic component in elderly care facilities and initiate nutrition supplementation in their planning of healthcare resources.

Oral nutritional supplement use in relation to length of stay in heart failure patients at a regional medical center

RATIONALE, AIMS, AND OBJECTIVES

Improving the nutritional status of hospitalized patients has been shown to reduce length of stay (LOS), hospital costs, readmission rates, complication rates, and mortality. Provision of nutrient-rich, liquid, oral nutrition supplements (ONS) is one approach to improve nutritional status. Little information is available on ONS use and LOS among heart failure patients.

METHODS

This study used a retrospective design to examine whether routine ONS use was associated with hospital LOS among 570 heart failure inpatients (89 ONS = yes; 481 ONS = no) at a regional medical center, adjusting for significant personal, locational, and time variables using multiple logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

Oral nutrition supplement use was associated with high LOS in this sample (odds ratio = 2.43). High LOS was also associated with higher Charlson comorbidity index values, discharge destination, hospital room location, and dietitian consults.

CONCLUSIONS

These results show that ONS orders alone are not adequate to reduce LOS among heart failure patients. Continued research is needed on ways to improve care to reduce LOS among hospitalized patients.

Hypoalbuminaemia-a marker of malnutrition and predictor of postoperative complications and mortality after hip fractures

OBJECTIVE

Our aim was to determine the effect of hypoalbuminaemia as a marker of malnutrition on the 30-day postoperative complication rate and mortality in patients receiving surgical treatment for hip fractures using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS-NSQIP) database.

METHODS

We analyzed all patients admitted with hip fractures receiving surgical treatment from 2011 to 2013. Patients were dichotomized based on their albumin levels; hypoalbuminaemia (albumin <3.5g/dL), and nonhypoalbuminaemia (albumin >3.5g/dL). Patient demographics, postoperative complications, and length of stay were analysed. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the ability of albumin level for predicting postoperative complications, length of stay, and mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 10,117 patients with hip fractures were identified with 5414 patients with normal albumin levels, and 4703 with low albumin. Multivariate analysis showed that when controlling for comorbidities; hypoalbuminaemia alone was a predictor of postoperative complications (death, unplanned intubation, being on a ventilator >48h, sepsis, and blood transfusion), and increased length of stay (6.90±7.23 versus 8.44±8.70, CI 0.64-1.20, P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

Hypoalbuminaemia alone can predict postoperative outcomes in patients with hip fractures. Furthermore, patients with hypoalbuminaemia had a longer hospital length of stay. Further studies are needed to assess whether nutritional support can improve postoperative complications in patients with hypoalbuminaemia.

Individually Tailored Dietary Counseling among Old Home Care Clients - Effects on Nutritional Status

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of individually tailored dietary counseling on nutritional status among home care clients aged 75 years or older.

DESIGN

Non-randomised controlled study.

SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

The study sample consisted of 224 home care clients (≥ 75 years) (intervention group, n = 127; control group, n = 100) who were at protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) or risk of PEM (MNA score <24 and plasma albumin <35 g/L).

INTERVENTION

Individually tailored dietary counseling; the persons were instructed to increase their food intake with energy-dense food items, the number of meals they ate and their consumption of energy-, protein- and nutrient-rich snacks for six months.

MEASUREMENTS

The Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), Body Mass Index (BMI) and plasma albumin were used to determine nutritional status at the baseline and after the six-month intervention.

RESULTS

The mean age of the home care clients was 84.3 (SD 5.5) in the intervention group and 84.4 (SD 5.3) in the control group, and 70 percent were women in both groups. After the six-month nutritional intervention, the MNA score increased 2.3 points and plasma albumin 1.6 g/L in the intervention group, against MNA score decreased -0.2 points and plasma albumin -0.1 g/L in the control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Individually tailored dietary counseling may improve nutritional status among older home care clients.

Nutritional supplementation for hip fracture aftercare in older people

BACKGROUND

Older people with hip fractures are often malnourished at the time of fracture, and subsequently have poor food intake. This is an update of a Cochrane review first published in 2000, and previously updated in 2010.

OBJECTIVES

To review the effects (benefits and harms) of nutritional interventions in older people recovering from hip fracture.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Bone, Joint and Muscle Trauma Group Specialised Register, CENTRAL, MEDLINE, MEDLINE In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations, Embase, CAB Abstracts, CINAHL, trial registers and reference lists. The search was last run in November 2015.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials of nutritional interventions for people aged over 65 years with hip fracture where the interventions were started within the first month after hip fracture.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

Two review authors independently selected trials, extracted data and assessed risk of bias. Where possible, we pooled data for primary outcomes which were: all cause mortality; morbidity; postoperative complications (e.g. wound infections, pressure sores, deep venous thromboses, respiratory and urinary infections, cardiovascular events); and 'unfavourable outcome' defined as the number of trial participants who died plus the number of survivors with complications. We also pooled data for adverse events such as diarrhoea.

MAIN RESULTS

We included 41 trials involving 3881 participants. Outcome data were limited and risk of bias assessment showed that trials were often methodologically flawed, with less than half of trials at low risk of bias for allocation concealment, incomplete outcome data, or selective reporting of outcomes. The available evidence was judged of either low or very low quality indicating that we were uncertain or very uncertain about the estimates.Eighteen trials evaluated oral multinutrient feeds that provided non-protein energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. There was low-quality evidence that oral feeds had little effect on mortality (24/486 versus 31/481; risk ratio (RR) 0.81 favouring supplementation, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.49 to 1.32; 15 trials). Thirteen trials evaluated the effect of oral multinutrient feeds on complications (e.g. pressure sore, infection, venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, confusion). There was low-quality evidence that the number of participants with complications may be reduced with oral multinutrient feeds (123/370 versus 157/367; RR 0.71, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.86; 11 trials). Based on very low-quality evidence from six studies (334 participants), oral supplements may result in lower numbers with 'unfavourable outcome' (death or complications): RR 0.67, 95% CI 0.51 to 0.89. There was very low-quality evidence for six studies (442 participants) that oral supplementation did not result in an increased incidence of vomiting and diarrhoea (RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.47 to 2.05).Only very low-quality evidence was available from the four trials examining nasogastric multinutrient feeding. Pooled data from three heterogeneous trials showed no evidence of an effect of supplementation on mortality (14/142 versus 14/138; RR 0.99, 95% CI 0.50 to 1.97). One trial (18 participants) found no difference in complications. None reported on unfavourable outcome. Nasogastric feeding was poorly tolerated. One study reported no cases of aspiration pneumonia.There is very low-quality evidence from one trial (57 participants, mainly men) of no evidence for an effect of tube feeding followed by oral supplementation on mortality or complications. Tube feeding, however, was poorly tolerated.There is very low-quality evidence from one trial (80 participants) that a combination of intravenous feeding and oral supplements may not affect mortality but could reduce complications. However, this expensive intervention is usually reserved for people with non-functioning gastrointestinal tracts, which is unlikely in this trial.Four trials tested increasing protein intake in an oral feed. These provided low-quality evidence for no clear effect of increased protein intake on mortality (30/181 versus 21/180; RR 1.42, 95% CI 0.85 to 2.37; 4 trials) or number of participants with complications but very low-quality and contradictory evidence of a reduction in unfavourable outcomes (66/113 versus 82/110; RR 0.78, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.95; 2 trials). There was no evidence of an effect on adverse events such as diarrhoea.Trials testing intravenous vitamin B1 and other water soluble vitamins, oral 1-alpha-hydroxycholecalciferol (vitamin D), high dose bolus vitamin D, different oral doses or sources of vitamin D, intravenous or oral iron, ornithine alpha-ketoglutarate versus an isonitrogenous peptide supplement, taurine versus placebo, and a supplement with vitamins, minerals and amino acids, provided low- or very low-quality evidence of no clear effect on mortality or complications, where reported.Based on low-quality evidence, one trial evaluating the use of dietetic assistants to help with feeding indicated that this intervention may reduce mortality (19/145 versus 36/157; RR 0.57, 95% CI 0.34 to 0.95) but not the number of participants with complications (79/130 versus 84/125).

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is low-quality evidence that oral multinutrient supplements started before or soon after surgery may prevent complications within the first 12 months after hip fracture, but that they have no clear effect on mortality. There is very low-quality evidence that oral supplements may reduce 'unfavourable outcome' (death or complications) and that they do not result in an increased incidence of vomiting and diarrhoea. Adequately sized randomised trials with robust methodology are required. In particular, the role of dietetic assistants, and peripheral venous feeding or nasogastric feeding in very malnourished people require further evaluation.

Quality of life after hip fracture in the elderly: A systematic literature review

BACKGROUND

With an increasing ageing population, hip fractures have become a major public health issue in the elderly. It is important to examine the health status (HS) and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of the elderly faced with the epidemic of hip fractures.

OBJECTIVE

To provide an overview of reported HS and HRQOL in elderly patients with a hip fracture.

DESIGN

A systematic literature search was performed in Embase, Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane, PsycINFO, Pubmed, and Google Scholar in July 2014. Studies which reported the HS or HRQOL based on standardised questionnaires in patients older than 65 years with a hip fracture were considered eligible for inclusion.

RESULTS

After inspecting the 2725 potentially eligible studies, 49 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. All included studies were randomised controlled trials or prospective cohort studies. The methodological quality of the studies was moderate. Patients' functioning on the physical, social, and emotional domains were affected after a hip fracture. The HS and HRQOL of the majority of patients recovered in the first 6 months after fracture. However, their HS did not return to prefracture level. Mental state, prefracture functioning on physical and psychosocial domains, comorbidity, female gender, nutritional status, postoperative pain, length of hospital stay, and complications were factors associated with HS or HRQOL. Treatment with total hip arthroplasty or hemi-arthroplasty provided better HS than treatment with internal fixation with displaced femoral neck fractures. Supportive psychotherapy in "low-functioning" patients, (home) rehabilitation programmes and nutritional supplementation appeared to have beneficial effects on HS.

CONCLUSIONS

Optimizing nutrition intake, (home) rehabilitation programmes, and the possibility for psychological counselling in patients with difficulties in the psychosocial dimensions would be recommended after hip fracture surgery. Besides HS questionnaires like EQ-5D and SF-36, adequate measurements like the WHOQOL-Bref or ICECAP-O are warranted in future studies regarding hip fracture surgery and postoperative treatment options.

Orthogeriatric care: improving patient outcomes

Hip fractures are a very serious socio-economic problem in western countries. Since the 1950s, orthogeriatric units have introduced improvements in the care of geriatric patients admitted to hospital because of hip fractures. During this period, these units have reduced mean hospital stays, number of complications, and both in-hospital mortality and mortality over the middle term after hospital discharge, along with improvements in the quality of care and a reduction in costs. Likewise, a recent clinical trial has reported greater functional gains among the affected patients. Studies in this field have identified the prognostic factors present upon admission or manifesting themselves during admission and that increase the risk of patient mortality or disability. In addition, improved care afforded by orthogeriatric units has proved to reduce costs. Nevertheless, a number of management issues remain to be clarified, such as the optimum anesthetic, analgesic, and thromboprophylactic protocols; the type of diagnostic and therapeutic approach best suited to patients with cognitive problems; or the efficiency of the programs used in convalescence units or in home rehabilitation care. Randomized clinical trials are needed to consolidate the evidence in this regard.