Journal of Japanese Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition

Show abstractHide abstract

Purpose: This study was performed to investigate 1) the relationship between the anthropometric measurements of the upper arm muscle (AMC; arm muscle circumference and %AMC; AMC divided by the age-sex-adjusted medians) and biochemical parameters (total protein, albumin, prealbumin, total cholesterol, and triglyceride) and 2) the relationship between the changes in the anthropometric measurements and the changes in albumin levels.
Subjects and Methods: The subjects were 120 elderly patients aged 80.0 ± 2.5 years who underwent consultation with the nutrition support team (NST) at the Iida Municipal Hospital. The anthropometric measurements and the biochemical parameters were measured at baseline and the end of NST intervention.
Results: At baseline, AMC and %AMC were positively and significantly correlated with serum albumin and prealbumin levels. However, the three anthropometric measurements did not correlate with total protein, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. Multiple regression analysis revealed that albumin was an independent predictor of AMC and %AMC. Additionally, in patients with serum albumin ≧ 3g/dL at end of NST intervention, the change in %AMC did positively correlate with that in albumin levels during NST intervention.
Conclusion: AMC and %AMC correlated with serum albumin and prealbumin levels. Our findings indicate that the anthropometric measurement of upper arm muscle is useful for nutrition assessment.

View full abstract

Download PDF (622K)

Purpose: The purpose is that we discuss current problems and prospects for the future of home patients with gastrostomy and home care after visit investigation of home patients with gastrostomy in Gunma Prefecture Agatsuma region.
Methods: We surveyed all patients with gastrostomy in Agatsuma region in the fall of 2013. We interviewed directly for home patients with gastrostomy
Result: There were 74 patients with gastrostomy including 14 home patients (18.9%) with gastrostomy in Agatsuma region. There were only two patients involved to their will to gastrostomy before they undergo gastrostomy. For almost cases, families had decided to gastrostomy based on the opinion of the physician.
Conclusions and discussion: Home patients and families said that we were glad to make gastrostomy, while we were suffered by gastrostomy and we had anxiety about the future. It is important that we think a possibility of falling in a situation of oral intake impossible and an absence of consciousness when we are healthy.

View full abstract

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify factors influencing nurses' self-evaluation of nutritional management.
Methods: A total of 655 nurses in adult wards were studied using an anonymous-, self-completed survey. The Self-evaluation Scale for Nurses in Nutritional Management questionnaire-, contained 24 items that evaluated nurses' nutritional management competence.
Results: Significant factors influencing the self-evaluation scores included years of related work experience (p < 0.001)-, and nutrition lesson format (p = 0.044). Nurses with 1-2 years of experience had significantly lower sum scores than those with 3-5 (p < 0.001) or-, ≥11 years of experience (p =0.018). Sum scores were significantly lower in those with 6-10 years' experience than in those with 3-5 years' experience (p = 0.019). After control for years of experience on, multiple logistic regression analysis, we found that nutrition lessons involving a combination of lectures, exercises, and practical training had significantly higher sum scores than those involving lectures only (odds ratio, 2.05; 95% confidence interval, 1.04 - 4.03).
Conclusion: Years of related work experience and nutrition lesson format significantly influenced nurses' nutritional management self-evaluation scores.

View full abstract

Register with J-STAGE for free!