Background & aim: Malnutrition adversely influences a broad range of physical and psychological symptoms. Although polypharmacy is often mentioned to be associated with malnutrition, especially in older people it is unclear to what extent. The aim of this systematic review was to investigate the extent of the association between polypharmacy and malnutrition in older people. Methods: The methodology followed the guidelines of the Cochrane Collaboration. Literature search was performed in PubMed, CINAHL and Embase. The population of interest for this systematic review were people of 65 years and older with polypharmacy. Because there is ambiguity with regard to the actual definition of malnutrition and polypharmacy, in this systematic review all articles describing malnutrition prevalence rates were included, regardless of the criteria used. Both observational and intervention studies were screened for eligibility. Selection and quality assessment of the included full text studies was assessed by two reviewers independently. A level of evidence and methodological quality score was adjudged to each article based on this assessment. Results: A total of 3126 studies were retrieved by the literature search, of which seven studies were included in this systematic review. There was considerable variation in the definition of polypharmacy between studies. Two studies defined polypharmacy as the use of five or more drugs, two studies as the use of six or more drugs, two studies provided a mean and standard deviation that corresponded to the minimum of five drugs, and one study distinguished between polypharmacy (five or more drugs) and excessive polypharmacy (ten or more drugs). However, all studies showed a statistically significant association between (the risk) of becoming malnourished and polypharmacy regardless the instrument or criterion used to define risk of malnutrition. Studies presented the associations respectively as OR 1.177, p-value 0.028, b 0.62 and r 0.31. Conclusion: This review demonstrated a statistically significant association between polypharmacy and malnutrition. Further research is required to determine the magnitude of the effect by increased number of drugs in combination with the type of drugs, on the risk of malnutrition.
Background: Although diagnosing and treating malnutrition, sarcopenia and underweight are recommended to be embedded and sustained within nutritional care, it is unknown if that is facilitated in geriatric rehabilitation. This study determined the proportion of geriatric rehabilitation inpatients with malnutrition, sarcopenia or underweight receiving dietetic interventions as part of routine clinical care and if these patients have greater improvements in body weight and composition compared to patients not receiving dietetic interventions.Methods: Geriatric rehabilitation inpatients from the observational REStORing health of acutely unwell adulTs (RESORT) cohort were included (n=971, median age 83.2 [77.7-88.8] years, 58.5% (n=568) females). Malnutrition, sarcopenia and underweight were defined by the Global Leadership Initiative of Malnutrition, European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People 2 and age-specific body mass index cut-offs. Data on dietetic interventions initiated by dietitians as part of clinical care was extracted from the centralised hospital database. Changes in body weight (kg), skeletal muscle mass (kg, %), and fat mass (kg, %) from admission to discharge were determined using linear mixed models.Results: Dietetic interventions were received by 306 (62.0%), 138 (71.5%) and 153 (76.9%) of patients with malnutrition (n=493), sarcopenia (n=193) and underweight (n=199). Duration and frequency of dietetic interventions were higher in patients with malnutrition, sarcopenia or underweight compared to patients without those conditions. There were no differences in body weight/composition changes in patients with malnutrition, sarcopenia or underweight receiving dietetic interventions compared to those not receiving interventions.Conclusions: One-third of geriatric rehabilitation inpatients with malnutrition, sarcopenia or underweight are not receiving dietetic interventions and therefore the referral and diagnostic process require improvements. Patients with malnutrition, sarcopenia or underweight receiving dietetic interventions had no greater improvements in body weight/composition compared to those who did not receive interventions. Tailoring dietetic interventions for malnutrition, sarcopenia and underweight diagnosis may improve patient outcomes.
PURPOSE: Malnutrition and sarcopenia require dietetic and physiotherapy interventions. In this study, we aimed to compare interprofessional identity of dietitians and physiotherapists, as well as attitudes towards, facilitators and barriers for, and occurrence of interprofessional treatment of malnutrition and sarcopenia by both professions.METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey was distributed from December 4, 2021 until January 31, 2022 through an international online network platform for professionals (LinkedIn). Practitioners working as dietitian or physiotherapist in a healthcare setting were eligible for participation. Outcome measures concerned perceptions regarding shared problem domains, interprofessional treatment, attitudes towards interprofessional treatment, interprofessional identity, facilitators, and barriers. A Chi 2-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and Spearman's Rho correlation were calculated. RESULTS: Data from 53 physiotherapists and 48 dietitians were included. Malnutrition is considered a shared problem domain by both professions ( U = 1248.000; p = 0.858). While sarcopenia is treated by both professions ( U = 1260.000; p = 0.927), physiotherapists consider sarcopenia more often a shared problem domain compared to dietitians ( U = 1003.000; p = 0.044). Attitudes towards interprofessional treatment were mostly positive (73%, n = 35 and 87%, n = 46 respectively). Interprofessional identity of dietitians was lower compared to physiotherapists (median = 4.0 versus median = 4.3 respectively; U = 875.000, p = 0.007). This was explained by lower interprofessional belonging (median = 4.0 versus median = 4.8 respectively; U = 771.000, p < 0.001) and lower interprofessional commitment (median = 4.0 versus median = 4.3 respectively; U = 942.500, p = 0.023). Interprofessional identity was correlated with efficient means of communication ( r = 0.30, p = 0.003) and bureaucracy ( r = -0.21, p = 0.034). Other barriers reported included available time, financial compensation, interprofessional knowledge, and obtaining extra care. Most reported facilitators concerned role clarity, clarity of expertise, and willingness of others to collaborate. CONCLUSION: Dietitians and physiotherapists have different interprofessional identities, but both are advocates of interprofessional treatment. Both professions mostly treat malnutrition and sarcopenia individually and have different perceptions regarding sarcopenia as shared problem domain. Facilitators were mainly related to clarity and commitment while barriers were mainly related to resources.
Aanleiding Ondervoeding komt nog veel voor in Nederland, vooral bij zieken en ouderen. Dieetbehandeling bij ondervoeding bestaat uit eiwit- en energierijke voeding. Omdat de meeste verrijkte producten op dierlijke basis zijn, zijn verrijkte producten op plantaardige basis zeer beperkt. Hierdoor wordt de kans op effectieve dieetbehandeling van ondervoeding bij mensen die een plantaardige (plantbased) voeding willen gebruiken beperkt. Doel PROVE beoogt het plantbased assortiment eiwit- en energieverrijkte voeding te innoveren, vanuit samenwerking tussen leveranciers van plantaardige grondstoffen (Avebe), producenten van medische voeding (Nutricia), producenten/distributeurs van maaltijden (Van Smaak), zorginstellingen (Zorggroep Groningen, Martini ziekenhuis) en een hogeschool (Hanzehogeschool Groningen). Binnen PROVE wordt een pakket van wensen samengesteld rondom o.a. sensorische eigenschappen, productsamenstelling, houdbaarheid, milieugerelateerde eigenschappen en kosten door patiënten en diëtisten, voor een productconcept geschikt voor patiënten met (risico op) ondervoeding die plantbased willen eten. Hiermee willen we bijdragen aan de noodzakelijke verschuiving naar een meer plantbased en minder dierlijk voedingspatroon (eiwittransitie). Praktijkopbrengst Op basis van het pakket van eisen kan een plantbased productconcept worden ontwikkeld, dat bijdraagt aan een volwaardig voedingspatroon dat voorziet in de verhoogde voedingsbehoefte bij ondervoeding. Met de ruimere keuze in verrijkte producten kunnen patiënten die een plantbased voeding gebruiken hun voedingsinname en voedingstoestand beter behouden danwel verbeteren. Diëtisten zullen door een ruimere keuze aan verrijkte plantbased producten minder handelingsverlegen zijn in de dieetbehandeling van ondervoeding bij deze doelgroep. Innovatie Binnen PROVE brengen we alle schakels in de keten bijeen, van grondstof tot patiënt, waarmee we krachten bundelen en slagingskansen optimaliseren om als eerste consortium het plantbased assortiment voor patiënten met ondervoeding(srisico) uit te breiden. Vervolgonderzoek In vervolgonderzoek wordt op basis van het pakket van eisen dat voortvloeit uit het voorgestelde KIEM project een prototype van het productconcept ontworpen, waarna deze wordt geëvalueerd bij patiënten.
