Publications by authors named "Christine Smoliner"
Background: Weight loss and low body-mass-index (BMI) are well-known risk factors for mortality among older persons. Both items represent a reduced nutritional state but their nature is different. It is, however, unclear which of these factors is more important for prognosis and if there is interference or interaction between them.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Sarcopenia, a common syndrome in older individuals, is characterized by a progressive loss of muscle mass and muscle strength. Although data exist on the prevalence of sarcopenia in community-dwelling older individuals and nursing home residents, there has been no systematic research in hospitalized older patients according to newly developed criteria.
Design: Cross-sectional study design.
Stroke is regularly accompanied by dysphagia and other factors associated with decreased nutritional intake. Dysphagia with aspiration pneumonia and insufficient nutritional intake lead to worse outcome after stroke.This guideline is the first chapter of the guideline "Clinical Nutrition in Neurology" of the German Society for Clinical Nutrition (DGEM) which itself is one part of a comprehensive guideline about all areas of Clinical Nutrition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOlfactory function and malnutrition in geriatric patients.
J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci
December 2013
Background: Impaired olfaction is considered to be a risk factor for malnutrition in older adults; however, there is little research on this association. The aim of this study was to investigate whether olfactory deficits are associated with an impaired nutritional status in older patients.
Methods: Study participants were recruited from a geriatric day hospital.
Background: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is an established procedure for long-term nutrition. However, studies have underlined the importance of proper patient selection as mortality has been shown to be relatively high in acute illness and certain patient groups, amongst others geriatric patients. Objective of the study was to gather information about geriatric patients receiving PEG and to identify risk factors associated with in-hospital mortality after PEG placement.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Reduced nutritional intake in care-dependent patients is a risk factor for malnutrition. The prevalence of malnutrition has been extensively reported, but there is little empirical data on the prevalence of the underlying causes of reduced oral intake and the extent of nursing interventions that address malnutrition.
Objectives: To report the prevalence of problems that potentially led to decreased nutritional intake.
Background: Generally, the high short-term mortality after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in geriatric patients is attributed to the severity of their underlying diseases. However, the procedure-related mortality in this group is unknown.
Methods: This prospective multicenter observational study gathered information about 197 geriatric patients treated with PEG insertion, including the indication for PEG insertion and the prevalence of postprocedure complications and analyzed how these factors related to mortality.
Background: The bioelectrical phase angle has shown predictive potential in various diseases, but general cutoffs are lacking in the clinical setting.
Objectives: This study evaluated the prognostic value of the fifth percentile of sex-, age-, and body mass index-stratified phase angle reference values in patients with cancer with respect to nutritional and functional status, quality of life, and 6-mo mortality. In a second step, we also studied the effect of the standardized phase angle (with a z score to determine individual deviations from the population average) on these variables.
Background & Aims: Decreased functionality and muscle weakness are prominent features in cancer patients. We investigated determinants of muscle function assessed by hand grip and knee extension strength as well as functional status in cancer patients.
Methods: 189 consecutively admitted cancer patients (age 60.
Malnutrition and depression are highly prevalent in the institutionalised elderly and can lead to unfavourable outcomes. The aim of the present study was to assess associations between nutritional status and depressive symptoms and to explore their impact on self-caring capacity and quality of life (QoL) in elderly nursing-home residents (NHR). We conducted a cross-sectional study with 114 NHR (eighty-six female) with a mean age of 84.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Malnutrition is a frequent problem in the elderly and is associated with an impaired functional status and higher morbidity and mortality. In this study we evaluated the effect of a 12-wk nutritional intervention with fortified food on nutritional and functional status in nursing home residents at risk of malnutrition.
Methods: Nutritional status was assessed with the Mini Nutritional Assessment.
The calculation of body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis in sick and hospitalized patients is hampered due to altered hydration state. We wanted to investigate how disease-related malnutrition assessed by the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) is reflected in the bioelectrical impedance vector analysis. Patients with benign gastrointestinal disease (n 242) were entered in the study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: The calculation of body composition using bioelectrical impedance analysis is difficult in the elderly because most equations have been found to be inadequate, especially in the malnourished elderly. We therefore evaluated the use of bioelectrical impedance vector analysis in elderly nursing home residents.
Methods: One hundred twelve nursing home residents were included in the study (34 men, 78 women, age 85.