Caracterização do perfil nutricional de indivíduos adultos e idosos com doença infecciosa

Abstract

Introduction: Population aging is a fast-paced global phenomenon, especially in developing countries, such as Brazil. It has repercussions on the nutritional, immune response and health status, especially as it relates to the infectious disease, such as leprosy. Therefore, it is relevant to investigate the impact of contagious infectious disease on nutritional status. Objective: To evaluate the nutritional profile of elderly and adults with leprosy. Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out with elderly individuals and adults infected or not with Hansen's disease, attended at the Casa Unimed and at the Centro de Referência em Doenças Endêmicas e Programas Especiais (CREDEN-PES) Dr. Alexandre Castelo Branco de Governador Valadares/Minas Gerais in the period From August to December 2015. The collection of demographic, socioeconomic and health data was based on the Genetics of Healthy Aging (GEHA) questionnaire used in Bologna. The anthropometric evaluation was performed through the: weight, waist circumference (CC), arm circumference (CB), tricipital (DCT), subscapular (DCSE), supra iliac (DCSI) and bicipital (DCB) skinfolds. The food survey was by means of the Regular Food Record, Food Frequency and Food History Questionnaires and Biochemical Evaluation. The study was approved by the ethics committee of UFMG with registration number-COEP: 728/11. Mann-Whitney descriptive analyzes and statistical tests were performed for comparison of medians and Chi-Square or Fisher's Exact for comparison of proportions. Analyzes were performed with the software Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.0 and adopted a significance level of 5% (p <0.005). Results: 80 subjects (26 with leprosy and 54 without leprosy) were evaluated. The mean age was 66.5 years, being 77.8% female. Patients with leprosy, both adults and elderly showed lower income and schooling, greater inadequacy of vitamin B12, hemoglobin and hematocrit in relation to those who did not present the disease. In addition, infected adults had higher intake of salt and oil. On the other hand, the infected elderly had greater inadequacy of eosinophils, higher values for VCM, greater adequacy of CHCM and lower adequacy of RDW. Regarding vitamin A, there was a higher prevalence of adequacy among uninfected patients. There was no statistically significant difference in the anthropometric parameters between infected and uninfected. Conclusion: The results of this study demonstrate that both adult and elderly infected individuals present differences in relation to socioeconomic and cultural factors that can directly influence nutritional status when compared to patients without the disease: infected adults and elderly individuals presented lower income and schooling, greater inadequacy of vitamin B12, hemoglobin and hematocrits. The infected adults showed higher per-salt and oil consumption. On the other hand, the infected elderly showed greater inadequacy of eosinophils, higher value for MCV, adequate value of MCHC and lower adequacy of RDW.