Agreement between NRS-2002 and Must Nutrition Risk Scores – A Retrospective Study

Abstract

The nutritional status of hospitalised patients has been a growing concern during the past four decades. World-wide studies indicate that 30% to 60% of hospitalised patients are malnourished.1 The complications of undernutrition, which include prolonged healing, increased length of hospital stay and increased hospital cost are well known. Early identification of undernutrition and / or risk to develop undernutrition while in hospital has been recommended.2 Various nutrition risk screening tools have been developed and are frequently used in the nutritional management of hopsitalised patients. Based on sensitivity and specificity, the following four screening tools seemed to be valid and therefore recommended for nutrition risk screening: the Nutrition Risk Screening tool (NRS-2002), the quick and easy Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST), the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MST) as well as the Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire (SNAQ).3