Case Study
Ms.Smith is an 85-year-old female admitted to the hospital with a hip fracture and dehydration.She is awaiting surgery.Her family reports that she lives alone and has been showing signs of dementia in the last month.The medical doctor requests a nutritional consultation because the nurse reports that Ms.Smith is not eating well.
Ht: 5'5'' Wt: 110# UBW: 125# (6 months ago)
Alb 2.8 g/dL Hgb 12 g/dL Prealbumin 14 mg/dL
TLC 2500
-Given Ms Smith's history, what would be the best and most sensitive biochemical indicator of her nutritional status?

Question

Case Study
Ms.Smith is an 85-year-old female admitted to the hospital with a hip fracture and dehydration.She is awaiting surgery.Her family reports that she lives alone and has been showing signs of dementia in the last month.The medical doctor requests a nutritional consultation because the nurse reports that Ms.Smith is not eating well.
Ht: 5'5''                Wt: 110#            UBW: 125# (6 months ago)
Alb 2.8 g/dL         Hgb 12 g/dL         Prealbumin 14 mg/dL
TLC 2500
-Given Ms Smith's history, what would be the best and most sensitive biochemical indicator of her nutritional status?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Prealbumin is the best and most sensitive biochemical indicator of Ms. Smith's nutritional status because it has a shorter half-life compared to albumin (2-3 days vs 20-30 days) and is therefore more reflective of current protein and nutritional status. Additionally, prealbumin levels can decrease rapidly with malnutrition and decrease with inflammation, making it a more accurate indicator in the presence of medical conditions. TLC is not a reliable indicator of nutritional status and Hgb can be affected by various factors. Albumin is also affected by inflammation and has a longer half-life. Prealbumin is the best and most sensitive biochemical indicator of Ms.Smith's nutritional status because it reflects short-term changes in protein status with a half-life of only 2-3 days, making it more sensitive to changes than albumin, which has a half-life of 20 days. TLC is not a reliable indicator of nutritional status, and Hgb may be influenced by other factors such as hydration status.

Case Study Ms.Smith Is an 85-Year-Old Female Admitted to the Hospital with Hospital