Abstract

CORTINA, Magalí et al. Assessment of nutritional status in pre-surgical patients in an acute care hospital in the province of Buenos Aires. Diaeta [online]. 2017, vol.35, n.159, pp.32-36. ISSN 1852-7337.

Introduction: Malnutrition in pre-surgical patients increases the risk of complications, hospital stay and costs to health system. Main objective: To assess the nutritional status of patients admitted for scheduled surgery within "Clinical Surgery" service from March to May, 2015. Methods: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study. Patients admitted to the institution for surgery by the "Clinical Surgery" service were evaluated. Variables studied were age in two strata, gender, pathology group and nutritional status. The last was diagnosed using Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). Statistical analysis was performed through X² or Fisher test. Results: 106 patients were assessed, of whom 70.7% were categorized as well-nourished, 25.5% as moderately malnourished or risk of malnutrition and 3.8% as severely malnourished. Patients of 60 or older were associated to a significant difference in risk of malnutrition. The prevalence of malnutrition was higher in the group of patients with liver and biliary tract disease. Within category C of SGA, 75% suffered from neoplasia. Conclusion: Within the studied population, a significant percentage of patients were identified with malnutrition, so the implementation of a nutritional screening strategy at scheduling surgery time is necessary in order to carry out a timely intervention that allows patients to go to surgery with the best nutritional status.

Keywords : Hospital malnutrition; Surgery; Nutritional status; Subjective global assessment; Nutritional screening.

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