The extent to which inflammation impacts food intake remains unclear, serving as a key risk factor for malnutrition as defined by the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM). To address this, we analyzed a large, merged dataset of geriatric hospitalized patients across Europe. The study included 1650 consecutive patients aged ≥65 year from Germany, Italy, Finland, Denmark, and Poland. Nutritional intake was assessed using the first item of the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form; C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured using standard procedures. In total (age 79.6 ± 7.4 year, 1047 females), 23% exhibited moderate to severe inflammation, and 12% showed severe inflammation; 35% showed moderate reductions in food intake, and 28% were considered malnourished. Median CRP levels differed significantly between patients with severe, moderate, and no decrease in food intake. Among patients with a CRP level of 3.0-4.99 mg/dL, 19% experienced a severe decrease in food intake, while 66% experienced moderate to severe decreases. Regression analysis revealed that inflammation was the most prominent risk factor for low food intake and malnutrition, surpassing other factors such as age, gender, infection, and comorbidity. A CRP level of ≥3.0 mg/dL is associated with reduced food intake during last 3 months in two thirds of hospitalized geriatric patients and therefore indicative for a high risk of malnutrition.
Keywords: C-reactive protein; GLIM criteria; food intake; inflammation; older persons.