Malnutrition Risk in IBD Patients: Simple Screening Tool Offers Early Intervention. A recent study published in Gastro Hep Advances sheds light on a hidden challenge amongst patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD): malnutrition.
Researchers at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that a quick, three-question screening tool identified 14% of IBD patients with Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis at risk for malnutrition.
Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) includes three questions: Have you recently lost weight without trying? If yes, how much weight have you lost? (0-4 points based on weight loss) Have you been eating poorly because of a decreased appetite? (0-1 points) A score of 2 or more identifies a patient at risk for malnutrition.
This simple screening, taking just 2-3 minutes per patient, revealed striking differences. Patients with active disease were nearly five times more likely to screen positive compared to those in remission. Additionally, smoking history and certain medications were associated with higher malnutrition risk.
The study highlights the importance of routine malnutrition screening in IBD clinics.
Early detection allows for swift intervention by dietitians, potentially improving patient outcomes and quality of life. Implementing this validated tool into standard clinical practice could make a significant difference for many IBD patients struggling with malnutrition.
Key Takeaways:
- 14% of IBD patients in the study screened positive for malnutrition.
- Active disease, smoking history, and certain medications were linked to higher risk.
- A simple three-question screening tool can efficiently identify patients at risk.
- Early intervention by dietitians can improve outcomes for malnutrition in IBD patients.
More information:
Malnutrition Risk in IBD Patients: Simple Screening Tool Offers Early Intervention. Aaron C. Viser et al, Inflammatory bowel disease patients in the ambulatory setting commonly screen positive for malnutrition, Gastro Hep Advances (2023). DOI: 10.1016/j.gastha.2023.11.007