Which of the following is not included in the “Malnutrition universal screening tool” (MUST) for assessment of risk of undernutrition ?
## **Core Concept**
The Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) is a widely used tool for assessing the risk of undernutrition in patients. It involves a series of steps to evaluate nutritional status.
## **Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The MUST tool includes several key components:
1. **Weight loss** over a specified period.
2. **Body Mass Index (BMI)** calculation.
3. **Acute disease effect** assessment, which considers the presence of an acute disease and its impact on nutritional status.
## **Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
- **Option A:** Weight loss is a component of MUST, as it assesses recent unintentional weight loss.
- **Option B:** BMI is also a critical component, categorizing patients based on their nutritional status.
- **Option C:** Acute disease effect is considered, reflecting the impact of acute illness on nutritional requirements.
## **Why Option D is Correct (Implicit)**
- **Option D:** Typically, MUST does not directly include **measurement of skinfold thickness** or **mid-upper arm circumference** as primary components, though these may be used in specific contexts for nutritional assessment.
## **Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
A key clinical pearl is that MUST is specifically designed for simplicity and ease of use in various clinical settings, focusing on readily available data such as weight, height, and the presence of acute disease.
## **Correct Answer: D. skinfold thickness.**