Assessment of protein energy malnutrition in older persons, part II: Laboratory evaluation

A large proportion of chronic diseases affecting older persons can be eithe r prevented or significantly improved by improving nutrition. This places a n increased burden on health care professionals caring for older persons. S creening for malnutrition at an early stage allows the intervention to be m ost successful. History, physical examination, and anthropometric measureme nts are essential parts of any nutritional evaluation. However, these tools can be highly subjective and rely heavily on the knowledge and experience of the evaluator. Incorporating biochemical measurements in the routine nut ritional assessment provides an often-needed objective dimension. Interpret ing these measurements must take into consideration the normal biological c hanges seen with aging. In this article, we review many of the biochemical parameters used in nutritional assessment and their relation to morbidity a nd mortality, with a special focus on normal changes seen with aging. Nutri tion 2000;16:131-140. (C) Elsevier Science Inc. 2000.