Differences in daily in-hospital physical activity and geriatric nutritional risk index in older cardiac inpatients: Preliminary results

Results Step counts and PAEE were significantly lower in the low-GNRI versus high-GNRI groups in the older (2,742.1 vs. 4,198.1 steps, 55.4 vs. 101.3 kcal, P < 0.001), and very old (2,469.6 vs. 3,423.7 steps, 54.5 vs. 79.1 kcal, P < 0.001) cardiac inpatients. Respective cut-off values for step counts and PAEE were 3,017.6 steps/day and 69.4 kcal (P < 0.01) in the older and 2,579.4 steps/day and 58.8 kcal in the very old cardiac inpatients (P < 0.01).

Conclusion Poor nutritional status, as indicated by a low GNRI, may be a useful predictor of step counts and PAEE. The cut-off values determined in this study might be target values to be attained by older cardiac inpatients.

Background Little is known about the differences in the geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) status in older patients and their relationship to accelerometer-derived measures of physical activity (PA) levels. We determined both differences in daily measured PA based on the GNRI and related cut-off values for PA in elderly cardiac inpatients.

Methods We divided 235 consecutive elderly cardiac inpatients (mean age 73.6 years, men 70.6%) into four groups by age and GNRI: older-high group, 65–74 years with high GNRI (≥ 92 points) (n = 111); older-low group, low GNRI (< 92 points) (n = 30); very old-high group, ≥ 75 years with high GNRI (n = 55); and very old-low group with low GNRI (n — 39). Average step count and physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE in kcal) per day for 2 days of these inpatients were assessed by accel-erometer and compared between the four groups to determine cut-off values of PA.