Neelemaat F, Kruizenga HM, de Vet HC, Seidell JC, Butterman M, van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren MA, et al.
Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland). Date of publication 2008 Jun 1;volume 27(3):439-46.
1. Clin Nutr. 2008 Jun;27(3):439-46. doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2008.02.002. Epub 2008 Apr
18.
Screening malnutrition in hospital outpatients. Can the SNAQ malnutrition
screening tool also be applied to this population?
Neelemaat F(1), Kruizenga HM, de Vet HC, Seidell JC, Butterman M, van Bokhorst-de
van der Schueren MA.
Author information:
(1)Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, VU University medical centre, PO Box
7057, 1007 MB Amsterdam, The Netherlands. f.neelemaat@vumc.nl
BACKGROUND & AIMS: It is known from earlier studies that only 15% of the
malnourished hospital outpatient population is recognized and receives
nutritional treatment. To increase this number, a quick and easy malnutrition
screening tool would be helpful. Because such a tool is lacking, we developed one
by using the SNAQ (Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire) as a basis. The
aim of this study was to develop a quick and easy malnutrition screening tool and
to measure its diagnostic accuracy in malnourished hospital outpatients.
METHODS: First, an optimal set of questions was selected for the preoperative
outpatient population. Secondly, the diagnostic accuracy for the preoperative
outpatients was determined (979 patients) and finally, the diagnostic accuracy
for general hospital outpatients was established (705 patients).
RESULTS: The three original SNAQ questions proved to be the best set of questions
for the outpatient population as well. In the preoperative and general outpatient
population the diagnostic accuracy resulted respectively in a sensitivity of 53%
and 67%, a specificity of 97% and 98%, a positive predictive value of 69% and 72%
and a negative predictive value of 94% and 97%.
CONCLUSIONS: With an acceptable diagnostic accuracy it may be concluded that the
original SNAQ malnutrition screening tool is valid for the hospital outpatient
population.
DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2008.02.002
PMID: 18395946 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
