Demenza, stato funzionale e malnutrizione nell'anziano

Introduction. Dementia is a degenerative disease associated to functional decline and nutritional dysfunction. The aim of this paper is to analyze the relationship among cognitive, functional and nutritional status, in a sample of demented elderly people. Methods. The present study included socio-demographic data, anthropometrical, cognitive, functional and nutritional assessment, in a sample of 114 demented and non-institutionalized elderly subjects treated in the Evaluation of Alzheimer's unit (Geriatrics Operative Unit) at the INRCA Hospital in Fermo, Italy. Results. The overall sample had a mean score of Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) = 16.9 ± 5.4. Nearly one out of five subjects (19.4%) was malnourished on the basis of Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), and 27.2% had a high risk of malnutrition assessed by means of Nutritional Screening Initiative (NSI). Correlation analysis showed that nutritional status was associated with cognitive and functional decline. MNA was associated with MMSE (r = 0.349; p <0.01), ADL (r = 0.450; p <0.001) and IADL (r = 0.336; p <0.01), whereas NSI was associated with MMSE (r = -0.478; p <0.001), ADL (r = -0.412; p <0.01) e IADL (r = -0.377; p <0.01). Conclusions. It is important to consider specific nutritional programmes for elderly, most specifically for those at high risk, such as demented subjects.