Introduction/objectives To evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) using two distinct assessment methods and identify factors contributing to malnutrition. Methods A cross-sectional design was adopted on patients with RMDs from the Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University General Hospital, Larissa, Greece. Three hundred and forty-seven consecutive patients were assessed for malnutrition using two different methods: the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria and the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). Statistical analyses included univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to identify factors associated with malnutrition, as well as ordinal logistic regression models to evaluate predictors of malnutrition severity. Results According to the GLIM criteria, malnutrition was identified in 54.5% of patients, compared to 13.8% using the SGA. Appetite loss, body fat percentage, and overweight/obesity status emerged as strong independent predictors of malnutrition. Other variables, including hypoalbuminemia, glucocorticoid use, gender, and dysphagia, showed associations depending on the assessment method utilized. No notable relations were observed regarding the reason for hospital admission, other blood parameters, disease duration, or length of hospital stay. Conclusions Malnutrition is highly prevalent among patients with RMDs. The present findings support the frequent screening of patients with RMDs for malnutrition, emphasizing the need to include objective assessments of muscle mass and appetite in the evaluation process. Such an approach may inform future research on targeted nutritional interventions and has the potential to shape clinical guidelines aimed at improving patient outcomes.<Table Float="No" ID="Taba"> <tgroup cols="2"> <colspec align="left" colname="c1" colnum="1" /> <colspec align="left" colname="c2" colnum="2" /> <tbody> <row> <entry align="left" nameend="c2" namest="c1"> Key Points • Malnutrition is a recognized complication in patients with RMDs, often exacerbated by chronic inflammation. • There is no universally accepted gold-standard method for assessing malnutrition in RMDs. • Appetite loss, body fat, and overweight/obesity status are independent factors associated with malnutrition. </entry> </row> </tbody> </tgroup> </Table>

Prevalence of malnutrition using the GLIM criteria and the subjective global assessment among patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases

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发表日期：

2025年11月19日

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Eleni C. Pardali,
Katerina Maria Kontouli,
Arriana Gkouvi,
Odysseas Androutsos,
Dimitrios Poulimeneas,
Irene A. Tsakmaki,
Anastasios C. Manolakis,
Christina G. Katsiari,
Dimitrios P. Bogdanos,
Maria G. Grammatikopoulou

摘要

Introduction/objectives

To evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) using two distinct assessment methods and identify factors contributing to malnutrition.

Methods

A cross-sectional design was adopted on patients with RMDs from the Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, University General Hospital, Larissa, Greece. Three hundred and forty-seven consecutive patients were assessed for malnutrition using two different methods: the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria and the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). Statistical analyses included univariate and multivariate logistic regression models to identify factors associated with malnutrition, as well as ordinal logistic regression models to evaluate predictors of malnutrition severity.

Results

According to the GLIM criteria, malnutrition was identified in 54.5% of patients, compared to 13.8% using the SGA. Appetite loss, body fat percentage, and overweight/obesity status emerged as strong independent predictors of malnutrition. Other variables, including hypoalbuminemia, glucocorticoid use, gender, and dysphagia, showed associations depending on the assessment method utilized. No notable relations were observed regarding the reason for hospital admission, other blood parameters, disease duration, or length of hospital stay.

Conclusions

Malnutrition is highly prevalent among patients with RMDs. The present findings support the frequent screening of patients with RMDs for malnutrition, emphasizing the need to include objective assessments of muscle mass and appetite in the evaluation process. Such an approach may inform future research on targeted nutritional interventions and has the potential to shape clinical guidelines aimed at improving patient outcomes.

Key Points

• Malnutrition is a recognized complication in patients with RMDs, often exacerbated by chronic inflammation.

• There is no universally accepted gold-standard method for assessing malnutrition in RMDs.

• Appetite loss, body fat, and overweight/obesity status are independent factors associated with malnutrition.