Wasting syndrome and associated factors in hospitalized older people.

Wasting syndrome (WS) is characterized by clinically important unintentional weight loss >5 % in six to 12 months. This syndrome is responsible for a significant portion of hospitalizations throughout the world and is an important indicator of serious diseases, especially in individuals with 60 years of age or older. The aim of the present study was to investigate WS and associated factors in hospitalized older people.