Incorporating the Malnutrition Screening Tool and the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool in Rehabilitation Practice: Comparison With the Nutrition Risk Screening 2002

Malnutrition can significantly affect rehabilitation outcomes, leading to longer hospital stays and increased mortality. Detecting and preventing malnutrition is crucial for improving patient outcomes. This study compares different screening tools to identify malnutrition risk in rehabilitation patients. The study compares the Malnutrition Screening Tool (MST) and the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) with the Nutrition Risk Screening-2002 (NRS-2002). These tools assess nutritional status using different criteria such as weight loss, appetite, and disease severity. The findings suggest that MST and MUST are as effective as NRS-2002 in identifying malnutrition risk in rehabilitation patients. Using these tools can help healthcare providers address malnutrition and improve patient care during rehabilitation.

• 1
  According to NRS-2002, 28.3% of patients were at high risk for malnutrition. MST identified 30.8% of patients at high risk, while MUST classified 30.6% of patients at medium and high risk.
• 2
  MST and MUST showed high sensitivity and specificity compared to NRS-2002, indicating their reliability in identifying malnutrition risk in rehabilitation settings.
• 3
  Significant differences in mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) were observed between different diagnostic groups, particularly between stroke/tetraplegia and lymphedema patients.