Author(s): DELGADO HERNANDO, Á., GUADALUPE-GRAU, A., ALEGRE, L.M., RODRÍGUEZ-MAÑAS, L., ARA, I., EL ASSAR, M., GARCÍA-GARCÍA, F.J., RODRÍGUEZ-GÓMEZ, I., Institution: UNIVERSIDAD DE CASTILLA-LA MANCHA, Country: SPAIN, Abstract-ID: 1339

INTRODUCTION:
Nonagenarians represent an increasingly relevant but understudied population characterized by high vulnerability and heterogeneity in nutritional, functional, and inflammatory status. Malnutrition and inflammaging are key processes linked to frailty and functional decline, yet their combined impact remains poorly understood. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between nutritional and inflammatory status with frailty, body composition, and adverse health outcomes in community-dwelling Spanish nonagenarians
METHODS:
Eighty participants (93.5±2.1 years old) from the Toledo Study for Healthy Aging were assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA), anthropometry, DXA-derived body composition, inflammatory indices, and clinical and functional measures such as frailty (Fried phenotype, FTS5), depression (GDS-15), and independence (Katz index). Linear and logistic regression analyses were performed, adjusting for age, sex, and potential confounders.
RESULTS:
Most participants were well-nourished (76.8%), while 23.2% were at risk of malnutrition and none of them were malnourished. Poorer nutritional status was associated with lower BMI, lean mass, femoral neck bone mineral density, and physical performance, as well as greater dependence and depressive symptoms (p<0.05). Linear regression confirmed positive associations between good nutritional status and BMI, body composition, handgrip strength, physical activity, and quality of life (all p<0.05). Logistic regression showed that being at risk of malnutrition independently increased the odds of depressive symptoms and dependence in activities of daily living. Higher systemic inflammation levels were significantly associated with impaired ability to stand, more hospitalizations, and poorer general health perception (p≤0.05).
CONCLUSION:
Poorer nutritional status and low-grade systemic inflammation were closely associated with adverse outcomes in nonagenarians, suggesting shared physiological mechanisms linking malnutrition, inflammaging and functional decline. Simple nutritional screening combined with low-cost inflammatory indices may support early detection of risk and guide interventions to maintain autonomy and quality of life in the oldest-old.