The Effects of Individualized Nutritional Intervention Program in Malnutrition Elderly With Pneumonia

Method: Eighty-two malnourished older adults with primary diagnosis of pneumonia participated. Patients were randomly allocated to either a nutrition intervention (NI) group or a standard care (SC) group. Participants in the NI group received an iNIP according to energy and protein intake requirements in addition to dietary advice based on face-to-face interviews with their family members during hospitalization. After discharge, phone calls are adopted for prescribing iNIPs. Anthropometry (i.e., body mass index, limb circumference, and subcutaneous fat thickness), blood parameters (i.e., albumin and total lymphocyte count), hospital stay, Mini-Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) score, target daily calorie intake, total calorie intake adherence rate, and three-major-nutrient intake were assessed during hospitalization and 3 and 6 months after discharge. Both groups received regular follow-up through phone calls. Furthermore, the rate of readmission resulting from pneumonia was recorded after discharge.

Inclusion criteria

• Primary diagnosis of pneumonia by a physician
• Age more than 65 years
• Malnutrition status indicated by body mass index (BMI) <18.5 kg/m2 or Mini-Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) score≤7

Exclusion criteria

• Renal insufficiency (glomerular filtration rate [GFR] <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 or GFR staging of G3b-G5)
• Cancer
• Hospital stay <7 days