Prevalence of Malnutrition, Its Risk Factors, and the Use of Nutrition Support in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract

Background Malnutrition is prevalent among patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Nutritional profiles among Asian patients with IBD have seldom been investigated. We assessed the prevalence of and risk factors for malnutrition, use of nutrition support, and sociopsychological status associated with malnutrition among patients with IBD in China. Methods Patients with ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) recruited from 43 tertiary referral hospitals were screened for malnutrition and nutrient deficiencies in this cross-sectional study. The use of nutrition support was recorded. The sociopsychological status was assessed by subjective questionnaires. Factors associated with malnutrition were analyzed, and multivariate regression was used to determine independent predictors for malnutrition. Results We recruited 1013 patients with a median age of 35.0 years, 58.5% of them had CD, and 61.4% of all patients were male. Overall, 49.5% (501) of patients were diagnosed with malnutrition, including 57.0% of patients with CD, 38.8% of patients with UC, and 44.1% of patients with quiescent or mildly active disease. Nutrient deficiencies were prevalent despite the absence of malnutrition. Malnutrition was associated with adverse sociopsychological status, including decreased social support, higher perceived stress, and impaired quality of life. Moderate to severe disease activity and extensive disease were two independent risk factors for malnutrition. In total, 41.6% of patients received nutrition support, and patients with risk factors were more likely to receive nutrition support. Conclusions Malnutrition was highly prevalent and associated with adverse consequences in Chinese patients with IBD. Malnutrition screening and early initiation of nutrition support are essential components in IBD care.

Trends in medication use and treatment patterns in Chinese patients with inflammatory bowel disease

“…To some extent, the study population represents in-patients from Chinese referral centers. Moreover, we found similar patterns in demographic and clinical characteristics by further comparing IBD patients in our study with those in other large-sample Chinese studies, which also reflects the representativeness of our study to a certain extent[ 20 , 21 ].…”

Frailty and Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Scoping Review of Current Evidence

“…For example, inflammation can induce loss of skeletal muscle and may eventually lead to sarcopenia [ 27 ]. In addition, disease activity is described as a risk factor for malnutrition and polypharmacy [ 56 , 57 ]. Active disease can also impact the mental domain as both mood disorders and cognitive performance have been associated with disease activity over time in IBD [ 58 , 59 ].…”

Sarcopenia and Its Effect on Inflammatory Bowel Disease

“…9 Malnutrition can affect the course of IBD negatively. 10 It is well known that malnutrition can impair immune functions and delay the wound healing process. The clinical aspect of this process is diminished response to medical therapy.…”