Screening malnutrition in hospital outpatients. Can the SNAQ malnutrition screening tool also be applied to this population?

• Published in: Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) Scotland), 2008-06, Vol.27 (3), p.439-446
• Main Authors: Neelemaat, F, Kruizenga, H.M, de Vet, H.C.W, Seidell, J.C, Butterman, M, van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren, M.A.E
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Analysis of Variance; Diagnostic accuracy; Female; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Humans; Male; Malnutrition; Malnutrition - diagnosis; Mass Screening - methods; Mass Screening - standards; Middle Aged; Nutrition Assessment; Nutritional Status; Outpatient Clinics, Hospital; Outpatients; Predictive Value of Tests; Preoperative Care; Screening; Sensitivity and Specificity; SNAQ; Surveys and Questionnaires - standards
• ISSN: 0261-5614; 1532-1983
• DOI: 10.1016/j.clnu.2008.02.002

Summary Background & aims It is known from earlier studies that only 15% of the malnourished hospital outpatient population is recognized and receives nutritional treatment. To increase this number, a quick and easy malnutrition screening tool would be helpful. Because such a tool is lacking, we developed one by using the SNAQ (Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire) as a basis. The aim of this study was to develop a quick and easy malnutrition screening tool and to measure its diagnostic accuracy in malnourished hospital outpatients. Methods First, an optimal set of questions was selected for the preoperative outpatient population. Secondly, the diagnostic accuracy for the preoperative outpatients was determined (979 patients) and finally, the diagnostic accuracy for general hospital outpatients was established (705 patients). Results The three original SNAQ questions proved to be the best set of questions for the outpatient population as well. In the preoperative and general outpatient population the diagnostic accuracy resulted respectively in a sensitivity of 53% and 67%, a specificity of 97% and 98%, a positive predictive value of 69% and 72% and a negative predictive value of 94% and 97%. Conclusions With an acceptable diagnostic accuracy it may be concluded that the original SNAQ malnutrition screening tool is valid for the hospital outpatient population.