Validity of simplified nutritional appetite questionnaire for Turkish community-dwelling elderly and determining cut-off according to mini nutritional assessment.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine a cut-off value for the SNAQ according to both the MNA long and MNA short forms and to assess whether the SNAQ can predict malnutrition or risk of malnutrition in the elderly. SUBJECTS/METHODS: Nutritional status was assessed both by the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) long and short forms. All demographic characteristics, mental status, depressive mood, functional status, and frailty were determined. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to calculate the cut-off of the SNAQ according to both the MNA long and short forms for malnutrition or risk of malnutrition. Reliability and validation of the SNAQ was analysed. RESULTS: We included 905 community-dwelling elderly, but those with middle-stage dementia (MMSE score <18, n = 30) were excluded. The mean age ±â€¯standard deviation (SD) was 71.4 ±â€¯5.5 years (49.3% female and 50.7% male). The prevalence of well-nourished, risk of malnutrition or malnutrition were 55.2%, 44.8%, respectively according to the MNA-long form. The prevalence of elderly at risk of future weight loss (SNAQ score of ≤14) was 31.0% (n = 268; 66.0% female, 34.0% male). The area under the curve (AUC) for SNAQ was 0.725 (95% CI 0.690-0.760). The cut-off value of the SNAQ, according to both the MNA long and short forms, was 14 (sensitivity; 50%, 50% and specificity; 84%, 82%, respectively). The Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient of SNAQ for internal consistency was 0.639. CONCLUSION: The SNAQ was reliable and valid as an appetite screening tool in community-dwelling Turkish elderly.

The prevalence and related factors of restless leg syndrome in the community dwelling elderly; in Kayseri, Turkey: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence and related factors of restless leg syndrome (RLS) in the community-dwelling elderly living in Kayseri. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional population based study in 960 community-dwelling elderly living in an urban area. We sampled 1/100 of elderly people aged 60 years and older. The diagnosis of RLS was made according to the criteria of the International RLS Study Group. The demographic data were collected by face-to-face interviews. Additionally, the Mini-Mental State Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale and anthropometric measurements were used. Logistic regression analyses were performed to define risk factors for RLS. RESULTS: We excluded elderly people with cognitive impairment (295). One hundred and five (15.8%) of the remaining 665 elderly subjects met the criteria to diagnose RLS. There was female predominance (3/1). Gender, length of education, employment status, smoking, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, depressive mood, high body mass index, and high waist circumferences, sleep quality, sleep duration, and difficulty in falling asleep in the first 30min were all detected as risk factors for RLS. However in logistic regression analysis, being a housewife, sleeping less than 6h a day and having diabetes was found as significantly related risk factors for RLS. CONCLUSION: This is the first epidemiologic study of RLS conducted in the Turkish community-dwelling elderly in an urban area. RLS is a common but underestimated disease in the elderly. Although RLS is prevalent we found very few risk factors for RLS.