NUTRITIONAL assessment tools in COPD can flag malnutrition early, with MNA in outpatient, PG-SGA inpatient, and NRS-2002 screening.
Nutritional Assessment Tools and Malnutrition in COPD
Older adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently contend with aging-related conditions that can amplify functional decline, including sarcopenia, cognitive impairment, and immune dysfunction. In an integrative review spanning studies published from 2010 to 2025, investigators examined the clinical value of three Nutritional Assessment Tools in this population: the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA), and the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002). Across the literature, all three tools detected nutritional risk, but sensitivity, specificity, and clinical applicability differed by setting.
The review also highlighted a clinical distinction that is often glossed over in practice. Nutritional screening is designed for rapid risk detection and triage, while nutritional assessment aims to characterize nutritional status more comprehensively, including likely drivers and the type of intervention support required. The authors argue that conflating these steps can blunt precision in nutrition decision making for older adults with COPD.
Matching Nutritional Assessment Tools to Care Settings
Tool selection appeared to depend strongly on where patients are seen and how complex their presentations are. The MNA was described as most suitable in community and outpatient settings, where a geriatric-focused tool can help uncover early malnutrition risk before crisis presentation. In contrast, the PG-SGA was positioned as a more comprehensive option for hospitalized patients or those with multiple comorbidities, offering a broader evaluation to guide personalized nutrition interventions.
For acute inpatient workflows, the review emphasized the practicality of Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) as an early screening approach with added value for prognosis prediction. The authors suggest that pairing timely screening with targeted follow-through is particularly relevant when skeletal muscle loss and immune vulnerability are already affecting recovery.
Precision Nutrition as Core COPD Care
Overall, the review frames routine nutritional assessment as an essential part of precision management rather than optional supportive care. Integrating Nutritional Assessment Tools into multidisciplinary COPD care may enable earlier identification of malnutrition and related syndromes such as sarcopenia, helping clinicians intervene before avoidable deterioration.
Looking ahead, the authors call for more standardized guidance on tool choice, alongside research that incorporates biomarkers, digital health workflows, and AI-assisted assessment to improve accuracy and applicability across diverse clinical contexts.
Reference: Hao X et al. Clinical Value of Nutritional Assessment Tools in Older Adults with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Integrative Review. Clin Interv Aging. 2025;20:2671-2683.
