Objective: Despite malnutrition being a major problem in hospitalized elderly patients, there is a lack of studies focusing on the comparative value of biological parameters for monitoring renutrition. The aim of this study was to determine which biological parameter(s) could best monitor successful renutrition in hospitalized malnourished elderly patients.
Design: The objective of the study was to explore the impact of a 6-week renutrition process on anthropometric and biological parameters in elderly patients and to define the biological parameters associated with weight regain.
Patients: A total of 72 hospitalized malnourished elderly patients admitted to a hospital-based geriatric rehabilitation unit.
Measurements: Patients were evaluated at admission and at 6 weeks for anthropometric measurements of weight, sum of the four subcutaneous skinfold thicknesses, calf circumference and biological serum parameters including albumin, transthyretin, leptin, IGF-1, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-3. Renutrition was considered successful if a patient gained at least 5% of body weight over 6 weeks.
Results: Leptin was the only biological parameter that increased at 6 weeks in successful renutrition. Leptin variations were not influenced by C-reactive protein variations, in contrast to transthyretin which can be modified by the inflammatory states frequently encountered in geriatric patients.
Conclusions: Serum leptin is a more appropriate parameter than transthyretin for monitoring renutrition.
© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.