Relation Between Malnutrition and the Presence of Symptoms of Anxiety and Depression in Hospitalized Cancer Patients

Abstract

BackgroundAnxiety and depression are a common issue in patients with cancer, yet understudied among hospitalized patients. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of anxiety and depression symptomatology in cancer inpatients and its relationship with malnutrition. MethodsCross-sectional study in hospitalized cancer patients. A nutritional assessment was done using GLIM criteria to diagnose malnutrition. Data regarding anxiety and depression symptomatology was obtained with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS).ResultsA total of 282 inpatients were assessed. GLIM criteria found 20% (66) of well-nourished and 80% (216) with malnutrition. HADS presented an average score of 8.3±4.4 with respect to anxiety and an average score of 7.7 ± 4.6 with respect to depression. 54 % showed a possible presence of anxiety and 45.3% showed a possible presence of depression.In malnourished patients, HADS score tended to be higher with respect to anxiety (8.5±4.3 in malnourished vs 7.1 ± 4.6 in well-nourished; p=0.06) and was significantly higher with respect to depression (8.2 ± 4.6 in malnourished vs 5.3 ± 4.0 in well-nourished; p<0.001).After controlling for potential confounders, malnourished patients were 1.98 times more likely to present anxious symptomatology (95% CI 1.01-3.98; p=0.049) and 6.29 times more likely to present depressive symptomatology (95% CI 1.73-20.47; p=0.005).ConclusionsThe presence of anxiety and depression symptomatology in oncological inpatients is high. There is an association between malnutrition and presenting anxious and depressive symptomatology in hospitalized cancer patients.

Community optimized management for better eating after hospital sTay among geriatric patients of poor socio-economic status - The COMEAT study

“…In contrast, our finding did not find a significant effect on the quality of life, readmission events or the number of medication despite the decreased anxiety and depression levels in the intervention group that could have been attributed to the accompanying volunteers during the dinner. In a recently published study, S anchez-Torralvo and colleagues [34] found a significant association between malnutrition and the levels of anxiety and depression in older hospitalized cancer patients [34]. Patients suffering from depression tend to eat smaller quantities of low-quality food and therefore lose weight and muscle, in turn contributing to the development of malnutrition [35].…”

Ciências da saúde: bem-estar e qualidade de vida 2

“…Alguns pacientes que apresentam perda de peso e outros sintomas de desnutrição geralmente relatam níveis mais elevados de sofrimento psicológico, que se manifestam como: insônia, ansiedade e depressão, podem contribuir para a progressão da doença. O medo de algo novo gerado na criança pode afetar negativamente seu consumo alimentar, aumentando assim o risco de desnutrição (Torralvo et al, 2022) O desenvolvimento da desnutrição em pacientes hospitalizados é alto, principalmente em crianças, devido ao aumento da necessidade energética decorrente da patologia que a criança se encontra, a diminuição do apetite devido a ansiedade que o ambiente hospitalar pode gerar, juntamente ao uso de medicamentos (Beser et al, 2018).…”