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A local nutritional screening tool compared to malnutrition universal screening tool

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 61, pages 916–921 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

The aim of the study was to compare the Glasgow Nutritional Screening Tool with the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) recently recommended for use by the British Association for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

Design:

Comparison-validation study.

Setting:

Four adult acute hospitals in Glasgow, UK.

Subjects:

All 242 in-patients from a variety of specialties.

Methods:

Two investigators independently interviewed 202 in-patients for the comparison-validation study. Each used a single tool with each patient, using each tool in turn. Investigators were not aware of each other's assessments. Forty other patients were interviewed by both raters separately using the local tool to evaluate inter-rater reliability.

Results:

When compared with MUST as a ‘gold standard’, the local tool had a sensitivity of 95.3% and a specificity of 64.9%, with moderate agreement between the two tools using kappa test (κ=0.57). Agreement between the raters was substantial (κ=0.69) with 85% of patients classified the same by both raters.

Conclusion:

The Glasgow Nutritional Screening Tool is a valid and reliable tool that can be used on admission for nutritional screening.

Sponsorship:

University of Glasgow, Greek State Scholarship Foundation.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to thank the 242 participants as well as the nursing and medical staff of the wards who were involved in this study. Konstantinos Gerasimidis was granted a postgraduate scholarship from the Greek State Scholarships Foundation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Developmental Medicine, Human Nutrition Section, University of Glasgow, Yorkhill Hospitals, Glasgow, UK

    K Gerasimidis & P Drongitis

  2. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK

    L Murray

  3. Department of Statistics and Modelling Science, University of Strathclyde, Livingstone Tower, Glasgow, UK

    D Young

  4. Department of Surgery, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK

    R F McKee

Authors
  1. K Gerasimidis
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  2. P Drongitis
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  3. L Murray
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  4. D Young
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  5. R F McKee
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to R F McKee.

Additional information

Guarantors: K Gerasimidis and R McKee.

Contributors: KG contributed to the Recruitment, Research Activities, Data Analysis and Writing up of the manuscript. PD contributed to the Recruitment, Research Activities and Data Analysis of the manuscript. LM contributed to the Study Design of the manuscript. DY contributed to the Statistical Analysis of the manuscript. RM contributed to the Study Design, Recruitment, Data Analysis, Writing up and was the Project coordinator of the manuscript.

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Gerasimidis, K., Drongitis, P., Murray, L. et al. A local nutritional screening tool compared to malnutrition universal screening tool. Eur J Clin Nutr 61, 916–921 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602593

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602593

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