[Determination of hospital malnutrition: a comparison between the subjective global assessment and body mass index].
BACKGROUND
Malnutrition is a severe problem of public health over all the world, particularly in Latin America. This syndrome, caused by nutrients depletion, can be developed or worsened during hospital admission and it is frequently ignored by the medical team.


OBJECTIVE
Comparison between the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) and the Body Mass Index (BMI) to determine the nutritional status in male patients admitted in an Internal Medicine Service.


METHODS
One-hundred and fifty two male patients were included. Values of serum albumin, functional status, body weight and pathology were recorded at admission. Nutritional status was estimated using the SGV and BMI. Analysis was performed with the X2 method for univariate analysis, non-parametric test and logistic regression were used. Significance was considered at p<0.05.


RESULTS
According to the SGA 48.7% was malnourished (34.2% with moderate and 14.5% with severe malnutrition, respectively). BMI demonstrated that only 9.9% of the studied group was malnourished. No association was demonstrated between SGA and BMI to determine the nutritional status. Malnutrition was related with age over 60 years old, male gender and diagnosis of oncological and infectious diseases as well as the degree of functional ability.


CONCLUSIONS
Malnutrition prevalence using the SGA (48.7%) is high against the low prevalence using the BMI (9.9%). SGA may be the preferred method assess hospitalary malnutrition instead of BMI.
Baccaro
F
F
Servicio de Clínica Médica, Complejo Médico-Policial Churruca-Visca, Buenos Aires, Argentina. fbaccaro@2vias.com.ar
Sánchez
A
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D055815:Young Adult