The Relationship Between GLIM Criteria and Recovery Times in the Leukemia Treatment Process

Fatma YILMAZ1, Merih Reis ARAS1, Hacer Berna AFACAN OZTURK1, Umit Yavuz MALKAN2, Ayse Arslan KAPUCI3, Ahmet Kursad GUNES1, Murat ALBAYRAK1 1Ankara Etlik State Hospital, Department of Hematology, Ankara 2Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Ankara 3Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Hematology, Ankara Keywords: GLIM criteria, Leukemias, Malnutrition, Recovery time Malnutrition is an important point in patients with hematological malignancies, especially in patients with leukemia who have the potential to enter into prolonged neutropenia. There is no generally accepted approach algorithm with a common consensus in determining the risk of malnutrition. The GLIM criteria, developed by a common consensus of major global nutrition societies (Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition), are one of the most frequently used approaches recently. Method A total of 50 patients with a diagnosis of leukemia (AML, ALL) were included in the study. NRS-2002 and then GLIM criteria were used to determine the nutritional status of the patients. The study parameters were evaluated by dividing the patients into two groups as malnourished and non-malnourished. Comparing the malnourished group to the non-malnourished group; while platelet, albumin, and prealbumin values and anthropometric measurements were found to be statistically significantly low, infection incidence rate, fever duration and rate, the need for multiple and longer courses of antibiotics and antifungal usage rate were found to be statistically significantly high (p< 0.005). Adequate nutritional level of the patient does not affect the neutrophil and platelet recovery time, but infection incidence rate and rate of fever within the same period of neutropenia statistically significantly reduces the need for antibiotics and antifungals. In patients with a diagnosis of leukemia who have long hospital stays, it is important to ensure adequate calorie intake with regular dietitian follow-up, to obtain a balanced calorie intake from macronutrients, and to add micronutrient support.