Turkish Journal of Geriatrics 2024 , Vol 27, Issue 2
THE IMPACT OF MALNUTRITION AND FRAILTY ON MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY IN GERIATRIC INTERNAL INTENSIVE CARE PATIENTS: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY
Özlem ÖNER1, Volkan HANCI1, Mehmet Çağatay GÜRKOK2, Hakan AKTUNA2, Merve BALCIOĞLU3, Bişar ERGÜN3, Ferhan DEMİRER3, Begüm ERGAN4, Ali Necati GÖKMEN1, Erdem YAKA5
1Dokuz Eylul University, Department Of Anesthesiology And Reanimation, Subdivision of Critical Care Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
2Dokuz Eylul University, Department of General Surgery, Subdivision of Critical Care Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
3Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Internal Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
4Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Pulmonary, Subdivision of Critical Care Medicine, Izmir, Turkey
5Dokuz Eylul University, Department of Neurology, Subdivision of Critical Care Medicine, Izmir, Turkey DOI : 10.29400/tjgeri.2024.387 Introduction: This study aims to assess the impact of malnutrition and frailty on morbidity and mortality in geriatric patients in the internal intensive care unit.

Materials and Method: The study is prospective, descriptive, and crosssectional in design, conducted at intensive care unit. Demographic data, anthropometric measurements, clinical evaluations, and laboratory parameters are recorded for each patient. Various nutritional screening tools such as the modified NUTRIC score, Subjective Global Assessment, Nutritional Risk Screening, Mini Nutritional Assessment - Short Form, and frailty assessment scales like Edmonton Frailty Scale and Clinical Frailty Scale are used.

Results: The patients were divided into two groups: survivors and nonsurvivors. The mean Nutritional Risk Screening -2002 score was 5.20±0.70 for the survivors group and 6.15±0.57 for the non-survivors group (p<0.001). The mean Mini Nutritional Assessment - Short Form score was 8.20±0.82 for the survivors group and 6.46±1.02 for the non-survivors group (p<0.001). According to the modified NUTRIC score, 40 patients (97.6%) in the non-survivors group were at high risk of malnutrition (p<0.001). According to the Edmonton Frailty Score, in the non-survivors group, 1 patient (2.4%) was classified as light frail, 21 patients (51.2%) as mild frail, and 19 patients (46.3%) as severe frail (p<0.001). The mean Clinical Frailty Score was 5.89±0.99 for the survivors group and 8.0±0.0 for the non-survivors group (p<0.001).

Conclusion: Due to the significant prevalence of malnutrition and frailty in the critical patient population being monitored in the intensive care unit, both conditions should be regularly assessed. Keywords : Intensive Care Unit; Malnutrition; Frailty; Mortality; Geriatrics