Longitudinal Changes of Cytokines and Appetite in Older Hospitalized Patients

There are few data on the longitudinal association of cytokine and appetite among older hospitalized patients. We aimed to investigate the impact of the changes of inflammatory cytokines on appetite in older hospitalized patients. A total of 191 patients (mean age 81.3 ± 6.6 years, 64% women) participated in this prospective longitudinal observational study. Appetite was evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System on admission and after seven days. Serum cytokines such as IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17, IL-18, IL-23 and IL-33, IFN-α2, IFN-γ, TNF-α and MCP-1 were measured both times. No significant differences in the mean serum levels of all the cytokines could be detected overtime in relation to appetite changes, except for IL-18. Appetite significantly deteriorated overtime in patients with increasing IL-18 levels and improved in those without significant changes in IL-18 levels. In a stepwise regression analysis, changes of IL-18 levels were the major independent predictor for the changes of patients’ appetite and explained 4% of the variance, whereas other cytokines and variables, such as age, sex, infection and disease, did not show any impact on appetite changes. We conclude that IL-18 seems to exert a significant impact on appetite in acutely ill older hospitalized patients and should, therefore, be considered as a potential target in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of malnutrition

Inflammation, Appetite and Food Intake in Older Hospitalized Patients

The effect of inflammation on appetite and food intake has been rarely studied in humans. In this study, we examined the association of C-reactive protein (CRP), as an inflammatory marker, with appetite and food intake among older hospitalized patients. A total of 200 older individuals, who were consecutively admitted to a geriatric acute care ward, participated in this prospective observational study. Appetite was evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) and the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ), respectively. Food intake was measured according to plate diagram method and participants were categorized as having food intake <75% and ≥75% of meals served. Nutritional status was evaluated using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF). In addition, serum CRP was analyzed and the levels >3.0 (mg/dL) were considered as moderate to severe inflammation. Of total population with mean age 81.4 ± 6.6 years (62.5% females), 51 (25.5%) had no inflammation and 88 (44.0%) and 61 (30.5%) had mild and moderate to severe inflammation, respectively. According to MNA-SF, 9.0% and 60.0% had normal nutritional status or a risk of malnutrition, respectively, whereas 31.0% were malnourished. Based on the SNAQ-appetite-question, 32.5% of the patients demonstrated poor and very poor appetite whereas 23.5% reported severe loss of appetite according to ESAS. Ninety-five (48.0%) of the participants had food intake <75% of the meals offered. Significant associations between SNAQ-appetite (p = 0.003) and ESAS-appetite (p = 0.013) scores and CRP levels were observed. In addition, significant differences were observed in CRP levels between intake ≥75% and <75% of meals served (p < 0.001). Furthermore, there were significant associations between appetite and nutritional status whereas malnourished older patients demonstrated a decreased appetite compared to those with normal nutritional status (p = 0.011). In a regression analysis, inflammation was the major independent risk factor for patients’ appetite (p = 0.003) and food intake (p = 0.011) whereas other variables such as infection (p = 0.960), chronic inflammatory diseases (p = 0.371), age (p = 0.679) and gender (p = 0.447) do not show any impact on appetite. Our findings confirm that poor appetite and low food intake are associated with inflammation in older hospitalized patients, suggesting that inflammation may contribute an important aspect to the development of malnutrition in these patients

Longitudinal changes of cytokines and appetite in older hospitalized patients

There are few data on the longitudinal association of cytokine and appetite among older hospitalized patients. We aimed to investigate the impact of the changes of inflammatory cytokines on appetite in older hospitalized patients. A total of 191 patients (mean age 81.3 $\pm$ 6.6 years, 64% women) participated in this prospective longitudinal observational study. Appetite was evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System on admission and after seven days. Serum cytokines such as IL-1$\beta$, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12p70, IL-17, IL-18, IL-23 and IL-33, IFN-$\alpha$2, IFN-$\gamma$, TNF-$\alpha$ and MCP-1 were measured both times. No significant differences in the mean serum levels of all the cytokines could be detected overtime in relation to appetite changes, except for IL-18. Appetite significantly deteriorated overtime in patients with increasing IL-18 levels and improved in those without significant changes in IL-18 levels. In a stepwise regression analysis, changes of IL-18 levels were the major independent predictor for the changes of patients’ appetite and explained 4% of the variance, whereas other cytokines and variables, such as age, sex, infection and disease, did not show any impact on appetite changes. We conclude that IL-18 seems to exert a significant impact on appetite in acutely ill older hospitalized patients and should, therefore, be considered as a potential target in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of malnutrition

Inflammation, appetite and food intake in older hospitalized patients

The effect of inflammation on appetite and food intake has been rarely studied in humans. In this study, we examined the association of C-reactive protein (CRP), as an inflammatory marker, with appetite and food intake among older hospitalized patients. A total of 200 older individuals, who were consecutively admitted to a geriatric acute care ward, participated in this prospective observational study. Appetite was evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment System (ESAS) and the Simplified Nutritional Appetite Questionnaire (SNAQ), respectively. Food intake was measured according to plate diagram method and participants were categorized as having food intake 3.0 (mg/dL) were considered as moderate to severe inflammation. Of total population with mean age 81.4 $\pm$ 6.6 years (62.5% females), 51 (25.5%) had no inflammation and 88 (44.0%) and 61 (30.5%) had mild and moderate to severe inflammation, respectively. According to MNA-SF, 9.0% and 60.0% had normal nutritional status or a risk of malnutrition, respectively, whereas 31.0% were malnourished. Based on the SNAQ-appetite-question, 32.5% of the patients demonstrated poor and very poor appetite whereas 23.5% reported severe loss of appetite according to ESAS. Ninety-five (48.0%) of the participants had food intake <75% of the meals offered. Significant associations between SNAQ-appetite ($\it p$ = 0.003) and ESAS-appetite ($\it p$ = 0.013) scores and CRP levels were observed. In addition, significant differences were observed in CRP levels between intake $\geq$75% and <75% of meals served ($\it p$ < 0.001). Furthermore, there were significant associations between appetite and nutritional status whereas malnourished older patients demonstrated a decreased appetite compared to those with normal nutritional status ($\it p$ = 0.011). In a regression analysis, inflammation was the major independent risk factor for patients' appetite ($\it p$ = 0.003) and food intake ($\it p$ = 0.011) whereas other variables such as infection ($\it p$ = 0.960), chronic inflammatory diseases ($\it p$ = 0.371), age ($\it p$ = 0.679) and gender ($\it p$ = 0.447) do not show any impact on appetite. Our findings confirm that poor appetite and low food intake are associated with inflammation in older hospitalized patients, suggesting that inflammation may contribute an important aspect to the development of malnutrition in these patients

Prevalence and predictors of vitamin D-deficiency in frail older hospitalized patients

Abstract Background Vitamin D deficiency is known to be highly prevalent in older persons. However, the prevalence in the subgroup of frail older hospitalized patients is not clear. We sought to investigate the prevalence and predictors of vitamin D deficiency in frail older hospitalized patients. Methods 217 consecutively geriatric hospitalized patients with routine measurements of 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25 (OH)D] at hospital admission were analyzed retrospectively, including information of previous vitamin D supplementation and the geriatric assessment. Serum 25 (OH)D concentrations < 20 ng/ml and between 20 and 29.99 ng/ml were classified as deficient and insufficient, respectively, whereas concentrations ≥30 ng/ml were considered as desirable. A stepwise binary logistic regression model was performed to assess the simultaneous effects of age, gender and geriatric assessments on the prevalence of low vitamin D concentration. Results Mean age of the cohort was 81.6 ± 8.0 years (70.0% females). Mean serum 25(OH)D was 12.7 ± 12.9 ng/ml. Of 167 (77%) subjects without known previous vitamin D supplementation, only 21 (12.6%) had serum concentrations ≥20 ng/ml and only 8 (4.2%) had desirable serum concentrations ≥30 ng/ml. In total population, 146 (87.4%) participants were vitamin D deficient. Despite vitamin D supplementation, 22 of 50 participants (44.0%) were vitamin D deficient and only 19 (38.0%) had desirable concentrations of ≥30 ng/ml. In a stepwise logistic regression analysis, only previous intake of vitamin D supplementation and high Geriatric Depression Scale score (GDS-15) were significantly associated with vitamin D deficiency. Conclusions In the group of frail older hospitalized patients without previous vitamin D supplementation, the prevalence of inadequate vitamin D concentrations is extremely high. Therefore, usefulness of the routine measurement of vitamin D status before initiating of supplementation appears to be questionable in this patient group