Clinical Assessment & Patient Care Flashcards

On the MNA-Short Form (MNA-SF), what score range indicates an older adult is 'at risk of malnutrition'?

Answer: 8-11 points

MNA-SF scores of 8-11 mean at risk, 0-7 mean malnourished, and 12-14 mean normal nutritional status.

Under the GLIM criteria, diagnosing malnutrition requires which combination?

Answer: At least one phenotypic and one etiologic criterion

GLIM needs at least one phenotypic criterion (weight loss, low BMI, low muscle mass) and one etiologic criterion (reduced intake/absorption or inflammation/disease burden).

A 78-year-old long-term care resident has edema in both legs. How does this most affect nutrition assessment?

Answer: Body weight may hide loss of lean and fat mass

Fluid retention can mask true tissue loss, so weight and calf circumference may overstate nutritional status.

Using EWGSOP2 cut points, which handgrip strength result indicates probable sarcopenia in an older woman?

Answer: Less than 16 kg

EWGSOP2 sets low grip strength at <16 kg for women and <27 kg for men.

For a bedbound older adult whose height cannot be measured standing, which measurement is commonly used to estimate stature?

Answer: Knee height

Knee height, measured with a caliper, is used in validated equations (for example Chumlea) to estimate stature in older adults.

Which serum finding best supports hypertonic dehydration in an older adult?

Answer: Serum osmolality above 300 mOsm/kg

Measured serum osmolality above 300 mOsm/kg is the reference-standard marker of low-intake (hypertonic) dehydration in older adults.

Why are serum albumin and prealbumin poor markers of nutritional status in acutely ill older adults?

Answer: They are negative acute-phase proteins that drop with inflammation

Inflammation lowers hepatic synthesis of albumin and prealbumin whatever the nutrient intake, so they reflect illness severity more than nutrition.