Changes in nutritional status and postoperative outcomes in elderly CABG patients.
OBJECTIVE
To systematically examine the pattern of nutritional status over time in older people undergoing elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) and the extent to which nutritional status affects health outcomes postdischarge.


METHODS
The sample consisted of 91 community-dwelling English-speaking persons > or = 65 (72.27 +/- 4.85) years of age with normal cognitive function and no active cancer. Data collected prospectively at 3 time points (preoperatively, postoperatively on day 5, and 4 to 6 weeks postdischarge) included serum albumin, transferrin, and calculated Body Mass Index (BMI). The Short-Form 36 Health Status Survey Questionnaire was administered 4 to 6 weeks postdischarge as a primary health outcome measure.


RESULTS
Nutritional status changed over time. For albumin and transferrin, the pattern of change corresponded to the phases of surgical stress (P = 0.001). The BMI decreased from preoperative to 4 to 6 weeks postdischarge (P = 0.001), and this decrease explained 13.8% of the variance in physical health 4 to 6 weeks postdischarge (P = 0.008). The change in the BMI corresponds to an average weight loss of 5% from preoperative to postdischarge.


CONCLUSIONS
Older people undergoing CABG who lose significant weight from preoperative to postdischarge are more likely to have lower self-reported physical health.
DiMaria-Ghalili
Rose Ann
RA
West Virginia University, School of Nursing, Charleston Division, 25304, USA. rdimaria@hsc.wvu.edu
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001026:Coronary Artery Bypass / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D015577:Geriatric Assessment; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014168:Transferrin / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss
D012709:Serum Albumin; D014168:Transferrin