Prediction of malnutrition using combined index of different nutritional parameters in elderly home care patients

<b>Aim: </b>This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted to assess nutritional status in elderly home care patients using a combined index.<br /> <b>Methods: </b>The combined index was calculated as a reference tool based on the results of five nutritional parameters (Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form [MNA-SF], Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire [SNAQ], body mass index, dietary energy, and dietary protein). If a patient was assessed as malnourished or undernourished in at least three of these five parameters, he/she was considered as “any stage of malnutrition” according to the combined index.<br /> <b>Results: </b>The prevalence of malnutrition was 48.6%, 28.3%, and 47.4% according to the MNA-SF, SNAQ, and combined index, respectively. Dietary energy had the best sensitivity (92.7%) and negative predictive value (91.3%), while SNAQ had the highest specificity (100.0%) and positive predictive value (100.0%) according to the combined index. MNA-SF had the highest inter-rater agreement (kappa [κ]) with the combined index (κ =0.792).<br /> <b>Conclusions:</b> The use of combined index based on both screening tools and other nutritional parameters could be effective in the diagnosis of malnutrition in elderly home care patients.