Comprehensive nutritional status in sarco-osteoporotic older fallers

Objectives: In older persons, the combination of osteoporosis and sarcopenia has been proposed as a subset of frailer individuals at higher risk of falls and fractures. However, the particular nutritional status of the sarco-osteoporotic (SOP) patients remains unknown. The goal of this study was to obtain a comprehensive picture of nutritional status in SOP patients. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Falls & Fractures Clinic, Nepean Hospital (Penrith, Australia). Participants: 680 subjects (mean age=79, 65% female) assessed between 2008–2013. Measurements: Assessment included medical history, mini-nutritional assessment, physical examination, bone densitometry and body composition by DXA, and blood tests for nutritional status (albumin, creatinine, hemoglobin, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, calcium, phosphate and folate). Patients were divided in 4 groups: 1) osteopenia/osteoporosis (BMD<−1.0 SD); 2) sarcopenia; 3) SOP; and 4) normal (no sarcopenia/no osteoporosis). Difference between groups was assessed with one-way ANOVA and chi square analysis. Multivariable linear regression evaluated the association between the groups and measures of nutritional parameters. Results: Sarcopenia was present in 47.4% of those with osteopenia (167/352) and 62.7% in those with osteoporosis (91/145). Mean age of the SOP was 80.4±7 years. SOP patients showed significantly higher prevalence of falls and fractures. Univariate analyses showed that SOP were more likely than normal to have a BMI< 25 (OR 2.42 95%CI 1.45–4.041, p<0.001), a MNA score <12 (OR 2.0, 95%CI 1.15–3.49, p<0.05), serum folate <20 nmol/L (OR 4.0 95%CI 1.35–11.87, p<0.01) and hemoglobin <120g/L (OR 2.0 95%CI 1.28–3.30, p<0.01). Multivariate analysis showed that a MNA score <12 was independently associated with SOP compared to normal when adjusted for age and gender. Hemoglobin <120g/L, BMI <25, and GDS >6 remained independently associated with SOP after adjustment for all variables including inflammatory conditions. Hypoalbuminemia (<35 g/L) was associated with just osteopenia/osteoporosis (OR: 2.03, 95%CI 1.08–3.81, p<0.01) and just sarcopenia (OR: 1.77, 95%CI 1.0–3.0, p<0.01) compared to normal. No differences in vitamin D, glomerular filtration rate, albumin, corrected calcium, phosphate, red blood cells folate or vitamin B12 levels were found between the subgroups. Conclusions: In approaching SOP patients, early prevention protocols directed to optimize their nutritional status would be a key strategy to prevent poor outcomes such as falls and fractures in this high risk population. Therefore, nutritional assessment and early nutritional supplementation should be essential domains in this strategy.