Clinical and biological aspects of malnutrition in adults

Salem Dorra Ben; Emna Bornaz; Sana Khamassi; Haifa Abdesselem; Kamilia Ounaissa; Rim Yahyaoui; Brahim Asma Ben; Saida Boumefteh; Chiraz Amrouche

doi:10.1530/endoabs.110.EP1002

EP1002

Prev Next

Section Contents Cite

Endocrine Abstracts (2025) 110 EP1002 | DOI: 10.1530/endoabs.110.EP1002

ECEESPE2025 ePoster Presentations Metabolism, Nutrition and Obesity (164 abstracts)

Clinical and biological aspects of malnutrition in adults

Dorra Ben Salem ¹ , Emna Bornaz ² , Sana Khamassi ² , Haifa Abdesselem ² , Kamilia Ounaissa ² , Rim Yahyaoui ² , Asma Ben Brahim ² , Saida Boumefteh ² & Chiraz Amrouche ²

Author affiliations

¹National Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Department Of Nutritional Diseases D, Tunis, Tunisia; ²National Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, Department of Nutritional Diseases D, Tunis, Tunisia

JOINT2582

Introduction: Malnutrition is a common and insidious problem that often goes underdiagnosed. The aim of our study was to analyze the clinical and biological profiles of malnourished patients.

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted, including 35 patients followed for underweight in the outpatient department of the national institute of Nutrition. The following phenotypic criteria were collected: BMI, muscle strength (MS), and weight loss (WL).

Results: The mean age was 35.14 ± 15.95 years, with a predominance of females (82.9%). The mean BMI was 17.51 ± 4.3 kg/m². The average muscle strength (MS) and weight loss (WL) were 23.27 ± 10.1 kg and 15.83 ± 9.63%, respectively. The prevalence of malnutrition was 65.71%, according to the HAS recommendations, which include at least one phenotypic criterion and one etiological criterion. Severe malnutrition was observed in 56.52% of cases. The mean levels of albumin, hemoglobin, calcium, and magnesium were 41.73 ± 4.7 g/L; 11.98 ± 1.88 g/dl; 2.35 ± 0.11 mmol/l, and 0.8 ± 0.07 mmol/l, respectively. Hypoalbuminemia, anemia, hypocalcemia, and hypomagnesemia were noted in 9.1%, 45.71%, 5.7%, and 20% of cases, respectively. Malnutrition was associated with weight loss (P = 0.001). Anemia was linked to a reduction in muscle strength (P = 0.03). No correlations were found between magnesium levels and the different anthropometric parameters, nor between calcium levels and the parameters.

Conclusion: Malnutrition often presents subtly, underscoring the importance of early detection and heightened awareness among healthcare providers..