Body Mass Index (BMI) and Cutaneous Lesions among the Elderly Patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Rivers State

Aims: The aim of the study is to highlight that cutaneous lesion can be markers of nutritional status in the elderly. Study Design: This is a cross-sectional descriptive study. Place and Duration of Study: This study took place within the wards of University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital over a 3 month period. Methodology: A sample of 126 elderly patients were calculated as the sample size to be assessed for cutaneous lesions, of which 122 were fit enough to have their BMI assessed using standardized protocol of measuring height and weight. The BMI was calculated using the formula -BMI = kg/m2. Results: Out of the total, 55 of them representing 45.1% had normal BMI, 13 representing 10.7% were underweight, 33 (27%) over weight and 21(17.2%) obese. Underweight elderly patients were more likely than those with normal weight to have xerosis, itching, wrinkles, idiopathic guttate hypomelanosis and ulcers. The elderly with overweight and obesity were more likely to have dermatosis papulosa nigra, signs of post-bleaching syndrome and surgical scars. Conclusion: Complaints or observance of cutaneous lesions in elderly should be a reason to investigate nutrition and the solution may lie in nutrition based treatment. More research is however needed to further evaluate the association between cutaneous lesions and body mass index.