Medical Nutrition Therapy May Improve Outcomes in Adults with Protein-Energy Malnutrition

Strategic Insights -

A systematic review and meta-analysis, published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, has found that medical nutrition therapy (MNT) provided by registered dietitian nutritionists may improve some outcomes for adults with protein-energy malnutrition. The study, conducted by researchers from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, evaluated the effect of MNT on nutritional status and health outcomes, including mortality, length of stay, readmissions, quality of life, and weight, in adults with protein-energy malnutrition.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study included 15 articles representing 11 studies with 86,740 participants, and risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias tools for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and observational studies.
  • MNT may decrease length of stay, increase weight (inpatient), and improve quality of life (inpatient) in adults with protein-energy malnutrition (low certainty of evidence).
  • The effect of MNT on nutritional status, calorie and protein intake, body mass index (BMI), handgrip strength, and cost-effectiveness is uncertain (low to moderate certainty of evidence).
  • The effect of MNT on mortality was uncertain in outpatient settings and conflicted in inpatient settings, with no effect in pooled RCTs (low certainty of evidence) and reduced mortality in an observational study (moderate certainty of evidence).
  • The study concluded that more research is needed to determine the effectiveness of MNT on nutrition and health outcomes in adults with protein-energy malnutrition.

Statistics:

  • 86,740 participants were included in the 11 studies.
  • 15 articles were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis.
  • The studies had a low risk of bias (1 study), some concerns (7 studies), and high risk of bias (3 studies).
  • MNT may improve length of stay, quality of life, and weight in adults with protein-energy malnutrition (low certainty of evidence).
  • The effect of MNT on nutritional status, calorie and protein intake, BMI, handgrip strength, and cost-effectiveness is uncertain (low to moderate certainty of evidence).
  • The effect of MNT on mortality was uncertain in outpatient settings and conflicted in inpatient settings (low to moderate certainty of evidence).

Sources:

  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • Elsevier Science Inc
  • NewsRx LLC