P1019 - VALIDATION OF MODIFIED NUTRITION SCREENING TOOL (MPNST) AMONG HOSPITALIZED PHILIPPINE CHILDREN IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL

P1019

VALIDATION OF MODIFIED NUTRITION SCREENING TOOL (MPNST) AMONG HOSPITALIZED PHILIPPINE CHILDREN IN A TERTIARY HOSPITAL

M. R. P. Reventar^1,*, R. R. Reyes¹, G. C. Paguia¹

¹Medical Nutrition, St. Luke's Medical Center, Quezon City, Philippines

Rationale: Malnutrition is a worldwide problem that needs to be detected and addressed especially in children. This study determined the use of the modified Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool (mPNST) among hospitalized Filipino children in a tertiary hospital. The mPNST added a fifth question, “is the child obviously overweight or obese?”, to screen for obesity. The Subjective Global Nutritional Assessment (SGNA) was used as reference standard; and compared mPNST with Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool (PNST), Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics (STAMP), and Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth (STRONGkids).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with 132 participants aged 1 month to 18 years old from June 2024 to October 2024. Participants underwent nutrition screening, assessment, and evaluation. Descriptive statistics summarized general characteristics of participants; and analysis of validity used sensitivity and specificity, predictive indices, and likelihood ratio with 95% confidence interval (CI).

Results: Majority were males (55.3%) aged 5.7years old, and majority (73.5%, n=97) were infectious cases. Malnutrition prevalence using mPNST was 56.1% (n=74) compared to SGNA, which was 81.1% (n=107). The mPNST had a sensitivity and specificity of 67.3% and 96.0%, respectively. Overall, the mPNST had a diagnostic accuracy of 72.72%, with an excellent qualitative strength in terms of positive likelihood ratio (16.82) and very good negative likelihood ratios(0.341). Comparing mPNST with PNST, which the tool was modified from, mPNST had improved qualitative strength. As a screening tool, the mPNST qualitative strength likelihood ratios were higher compared to STAMP and STRONGkids in this study population.

Conclusion: The mPNST may be used as a screening tool for malnutrition risk for hospitalized children. 

Disclosure of Interest: None declared