Background: Nutritional deficiencies are frequently not detected or misdiagnosed in old age as they could mimic the natural changes associated with ageing
Aim: To screen the clinical manifestations of nutritional deficiencies among the elderly.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 elderly participants with chronic diseases, aged 65 or more, chosen randomly from the outpatient clinic and inpatient at Menoufia university hospital, Egypt. Tools of the study: Demographic and clinical data; a checklist of symptoms and signs of common nutritional deficiency; and a subjective global assessment (SGA).
Results: the distribution of potential nutritional clinical manifestations among the elderly revealed was variable; skin rash (29%), easy bruising (41%), loss or thinning of hair (75%), spooning of nails (20%), impaired vision at night (37%), clouding and corneal dryness.
(57%), bleeding gums (56%), bone deformities (bowlegs, knocked knees, curved spine) (6%), and bone tenderness (49%). There were statistically significant differences between SGA and the following chronic diseases: (DM, hepatic, renal, and rheumatic) also significant associations between (skin rash in sun-exposed areas in hepatic diseases (p = 0.04), spooning of nails in renal disease (p = 0.06), Impaired night vision in cardiac and diabetic patients (p = 0.001), rheumatic diseases had more bone tenderness and diarrhoea (p = 0.001)
Conclusion: The most common nutritional deficiency manifestations among the elderly were; thinning or loss of hair, corneal drying or clouding, bleeding gum, easy bruising, and bone tenderness. SGA-based nutritional status of the elderly was (35%) well-nourished, (49%) mild to moderate, and (16%) severe malnutrition.