Sarcopenia and nutritional state in patients under oncological treatment beneficiary or not of food help, Córdoba, Argentina

Abstract

The elderly population is considered a vulnerable group from the nutritional point of view, so a better knowledge of is necessary their needs, especially if they have a chronic degenerative disease. The incidence of cancer increases with age, risk factors are combined with the loss of effectiveness of the cellular repair mechanisms that occur with age, the loss of musculoskeletal mass and strength that usually present increases their vulnerability especially If they do not receive food aid.

The aim of the present work was to determine nutritional status and presence of sarcopenia in patients of both sexes under cancer treatment who attend a public sector hospital institution, beneficiaries or not of the Food Supplement Benefit (BCA), in the city of Córdoba in 2018.

Simple correlational, observational, cross-sectional study. Sample: patients older than 60 years (n=51), both sexes. Variables: sex, age, level of education, coexistence, socioeconomic level, place of residence, type of cancer, treatment, nutritional status, sarcopenia. Anthropometric measurements were taken; Structured questionnaire Global Subjective Assessment (VGS-GP) and Short series of physical performance (SPPB) was used, from clinical histories sociodemographic data were extracted. Computer software used Microsoft Excel 2010 and InfoStat. For the inferential analysis, the Chi-square test and the Fisher statistic were applied

The 70.6% of the population presented a good nutritional status, a 21.6% risk of malnutrition and 7.8% malnutrition. 47% of the sample presented moderate sarcopenia; Among those who presented Sarcopenia 45% performed chemotherapy, 55% other treatment. Of the total sample, 2 out of 10 subjects were beneficiaries of the BCA. When analyzing the data, it was determined that there is no association between the presence of sarcopenia and BCA (p value = 0.5) or between the time of cancer treatment and the presence of sarcopenia (p value = 0.1573)

While no association was found between the presence of Sarcopenia and the type and time of treatment; the latter leads to difficulties in patients feeding, which have an impact on their nutritional status and quality of life, they receive or not BCA.