title: The effect of nutritional status on morbidity after elective surgery for benign gastrointestinal disease.
abstract: The effect of nutritional status on the morbidity and mortality of major gastrointestinal surgery for benign disease was studied in 32 patients. Malnutrition was defined as a serum albumin less than 3.5 g/dl and a recent weight loss greater than 10%, in addition to any two of the following: weight for height, midarm circumference or triceps skin-fold thickness less than 10th percentile. The morbidity and mortality in the 17 malnourished patients was 59% and 29%, respectively, compared with 20% and 7% in 15 well-nourished patients matched for age and operative procedure (p less than 0.05). After operation, the mean duration of inadequate oral nutritional intake period (IONIP, defined as a caloric intake greater than 60% requirement) was 11.9 days +/- 2.9 (SEM) in well-nourished patients compared with 30.5 days +/- 3.7 in the malnourished group. The longer IONIP in malnourished patients was a consequence of the higher morbidity in this group, thus warranting the consideration of supportive (postoperative) parenteral nutrition in malnourished patients who undergo major gastrointestinal surgery for benign disease.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005767:Gastrointestinal Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009748:Nutrition Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control