Mortality risks of body mass index and energy intake trajectories in institutionalized elderly people: a retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background Many factors can identify the mortality risks of institutionalized elderly people; among all such factors, body mass index (BMI) and energy intake (EI) can be employed as independent predictors. The objective of this study was to elucidate about the mortality risks and the trajec...

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Main Authors: Yoshiaki Kawakami, Jun Hamano
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2022-01-01
Series:BMC Geriatrics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-02778-1
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author Yoshiaki Kawakami
Jun Hamano
author_facet Yoshiaki Kawakami
Jun Hamano
author_sort Yoshiaki Kawakami
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background Many factors can identify the mortality risks of institutionalized elderly people; among all such factors, body mass index (BMI) and energy intake (EI) can be employed as independent predictors. The objective of this study was to elucidate about the mortality risks and the trajectory of two parameters obtained from continuously monitored data. Methods This retrospective cohort study targeted 218 elderly people who were admitted to a nursing home for at least 6 months between 2007 and 2020 and passed away at the nursing home. BMI and EI (kcal) per body weight (BW) were continuously measured until death. Results BMI continued to decrease for 5 years until death. The rate of change of BMI significantly increased for 3 years before death (P = 0.004). In contrast, the rate of change of EI per BW significantly increased after 1 year before death (P < 0.001); in addition, 2 months before death, this rate of change significantly exceeded that of BMI (P = 0.007). In the four risk groups that were examined, a BMI of <18.0 + EI per BW of <29.2 and a BMI of <17.3 + EI per BW of <28.3 were significantly correlated with a high risk of death (log-rank test: P < 0.001, P = 0.002, respectively). There was no significant difference in the hazard ratio based on the age at the time of admission; however, when EI per BW was <23.8, the risk of death was significantly higher [hazard ratio = 4.36; 95% confidence interval: 2.31–8.24]. Conclusions Elderly people in the current study presented a tendency toward decreasing BMI starting 60 months prior to death even if EI per BW remained constant. In the 1 year before death, EI per BW rapidly decreased. When the rate of change of EI per BW exceeded the rate of decrease of BMI, it was considered to be the point of no return when death was imminent. Our study showed that identifying mortality risks from the relationship between the trajectories of the two parameters that were continuously measured for several months to years is possible.
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spelling doaj.art-5e350bd4e6074118b81ddbf2e81e5ba12022-12-22T04:11:00ZengBMCBMC Geriatrics1471-23182022-01-012211910.1186/s12877-022-02778-1Mortality risks of body mass index and energy intake trajectories in institutionalized elderly people: a retrospective cohort studyYoshiaki Kawakami0Jun Hamano1Department of Nursing, Tokyo Ariake University of Medical and Health SciencesDivision of Clinical Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of TsukubaAbstract Background Many factors can identify the mortality risks of institutionalized elderly people; among all such factors, body mass index (BMI) and energy intake (EI) can be employed as independent predictors. The objective of this study was to elucidate about the mortality risks and the trajectory of two parameters obtained from continuously monitored data. Methods This retrospective cohort study targeted 218 elderly people who were admitted to a nursing home for at least 6 months between 2007 and 2020 and passed away at the nursing home. BMI and EI (kcal) per body weight (BW) were continuously measured until death. Results BMI continued to decrease for 5 years until death. The rate of change of BMI significantly increased for 3 years before death (P = 0.004). In contrast, the rate of change of EI per BW significantly increased after 1 year before death (P < 0.001); in addition, 2 months before death, this rate of change significantly exceeded that of BMI (P = 0.007). In the four risk groups that were examined, a BMI of <18.0 + EI per BW of <29.2 and a BMI of <17.3 + EI per BW of <28.3 were significantly correlated with a high risk of death (log-rank test: P < 0.001, P = 0.002, respectively). There was no significant difference in the hazard ratio based on the age at the time of admission; however, when EI per BW was <23.8, the risk of death was significantly higher [hazard ratio = 4.36; 95% confidence interval: 2.31–8.24]. Conclusions Elderly people in the current study presented a tendency toward decreasing BMI starting 60 months prior to death even if EI per BW remained constant. In the 1 year before death, EI per BW rapidly decreased. When the rate of change of EI per BW exceeded the rate of decrease of BMI, it was considered to be the point of no return when death was imminent. Our study showed that identifying mortality risks from the relationship between the trajectories of the two parameters that were continuously measured for several months to years is possible.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-02778-1Body mass indexMortalityElderlyEnergy intakeLong-term careUnintentional weight loss
spellingShingle Yoshiaki Kawakami
Jun Hamano
Mortality risks of body mass index and energy intake trajectories in institutionalized elderly people: a retrospective cohort study
BMC Geriatrics
Body mass index
Mortality
Elderly
Energy intake
Long-term care
Unintentional weight loss
title Mortality risks of body mass index and energy intake trajectories in institutionalized elderly people: a retrospective cohort study
title_full Mortality risks of body mass index and energy intake trajectories in institutionalized elderly people: a retrospective cohort study
title_fullStr Mortality risks of body mass index and energy intake trajectories in institutionalized elderly people: a retrospective cohort study
title_full_unstemmed Mortality risks of body mass index and energy intake trajectories in institutionalized elderly people: a retrospective cohort study
title_short Mortality risks of body mass index and energy intake trajectories in institutionalized elderly people: a retrospective cohort study
title_sort mortality risks of body mass index and energy intake trajectories in institutionalized elderly people a retrospective cohort study
topic Body mass index
Mortality
Elderly
Energy intake
Long-term care
Unintentional weight loss
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s12877-022-02778-1
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