Risk factors for malnutrition in patients undergoing gastroenterological and hernia surgery: an analysis of 374 patients

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of 374 surgical patients with gastrointestinal disease and hernias of the abdominal wall; to identify risk factors associated with a poorer nutritional status in this group of patients and to assess awareness of the patient's nutritional status by medical teams.

Summary background data: Malnutrition is prevalent among surgical patients and is associated with higher surgical complication rates and mortality. The major causes of poor nutritional status are related to the underlying disease, socio-economic factors, age, and length of hospitalization. Despite its high prevalence, medical teams often overlook malnutrition, and screening of these patients is not routine. It is of utmost importance to identify patients at risk for malnutrition in order to prevent related complications.

Methods: The 374 patients evaluated in this study were a subgroup of a larger multicenter, cross-sectional, randomized study that was carried out in 1996. Nutritional status was assessed by using Subjective Global Assessment.

Results: Malnutrition was present in 55% of the patients, with 19% of the patients severely malnourished. The presence of cancer, infection, age over 60 years, upper gastrointestinal disease, and longer length of hospital stay all negatively influenced nutritional status. Despite the high prevalence of malnutrition, the medical teams only assessed the nutritional status of a few patients.

Conclusion: Malnutrition was highly prevalent in this setting of patients. Therefore, patients with the risk factors above presented should routinely undergo nutritional screening and/or assessment in order to be able to early diagnose or prevent malnutrition and its correlated morbidity and mortality.