Nutritional status and dietary intake in institutionalised patients with Alzheimer's disease and multifarct dementia

• Nutritional status, dietary intake, weight change, and mortality were studied in a sample of severely demented, institutionalized patients. Dietary intake was registered during five days in two periods, five weeks apart. A weighing method was used. Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric measurements (weight for height index, triceps skinfold thickness, arm muscle circumference) and determination of circulating proteins (albumin, transferrin, and prealbumin). Energy and/or protein malnutrition was found in 50% of the patients. The mean dietary intake was sufficient according to energy (2059 kcal/day), proteins, vitamins, and minerals. A comparison of patients with or without malnutrition showed no differences in dietary intake, diagnoses, age, length of hospital stay, or duration of illness. However, malnourished patients had had four times as many infectious periods treated by antibiotics as patients with no malnutrition. Thirty-nine of 44 patients lost weight during their hospital stay. There was no correlation between loss of weight, length of hospital stay, or duration of illness.

Ämnesord

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Hälsovetenskap -- Omvårdnad (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Health Sciences -- Nursing (hsv//eng)

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP  -- Klinisk medicin -- Geriatrik (hsv//swe)

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES  -- Clinical Medicine -- Geriatrics (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

Alzheimer's disease

multifarct dementia

dietary intake

Publikations- och innehållstyp

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