Nutritional risk and associated factors in elderly patients with congestive heart failure in a Brazilian cardiology hospital

OBJECTIVE: To identify the nutritional risk and associated factors in elderly individuals with congestive heart failure admitted to a cardiology hospital. METHODOLOGY: A cross-sectional study collecting primary data was carried out in the Heart Institute of University of São Paulo. Nutritional risk was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA). Data regarding sample (gender, age group, functional class of heart failure) was collected from medical records prior to application of the instrument. To test the association between nutritional status evaluated by MNA and independent variables, chi-square test and logistic regression were performed. RESULTS: The study included 70 elderly individuals, 57% males and 50% between 60-69 years. Almost half of the group (43%) was classified as "at risk of malnutrition." Among these, 60% were 70 years or older (p = 0.005), categorized in functional classes III and IV (48%, p = 0.025). Almost all of the "malnourished" or "at risk of malnutrition" elderly (96%) reported at least 3 kg weight loss in the last 3 months (p=0.003), and 81% of the elderly who considered have health status worse than other elderly was malnourished (p