Phase Angle as a Nutritional Indicator in Older Inpatients

Abstract

[Purpose] The phase angle is affected by various parameters such as age, body composition and so on, but the extent to which it reflects a patient’s nutritional state is unclear. The purpose of this study was to clarify the usefulness of the phase angle as a nutritional assessment tool for inpatients in a rehabilitation unit. [Participants and Methods] This retrospective study included 207 old patients (67 male, 140 female) admitted to a rehabilitation unit. The relationships between their phase angles and other data such as the Charlson Comorbidity Index, skeletal muscle mass index, motor-Functional Independence Measure, and Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) obtained from medical records were analyzed for each sex. [Results] The phase angle was strongly affected by GNRI in both sexes. [Conclusion] The phase angle is a simple, and non-invasive indicator of nutritional assessment.