title: Endovascular aneurysm repair is associated with less malnutrition than open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients undergoing abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair have high rates of postoperative malnutrition. We examined whether endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is associated with reduced postoperative malnutrition compared with open AAA repair.
  
  
  METHODS
  The records of patients undergoing AAA repair in the Veterans Affairs (VA) Connecticut Healthcare System were reviewed. Primary outcomes were 30-day morbidity, lengths of hospitalization and intensive care unit stay, duration of intubation, and nutritional risk index scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Sixty-two patients were included (open repair, 37; EVAR, 25). Nutritional parameters were comparable between groups before surgery. Patients treated with EVAR had improved postoperative nutritional profiles as determined by albumin level (3.7 +/- .08 vs 3.2 +/- .12; P = .003), and nutritional risk index (97.9 +/- 1.3 vs 88.9 +/- 1.8; P = .0006), compared with patients treated with open repair.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients undergoing EVAR developed significantly less postoperative malnutrition compared with those having open repair. EVAR may be a strategy to avoid malnutrition and improve outcomes in patients at risk for malnutrition after undergoing AAA repair.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, VA Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA.
authors.forename: Cassius Iyad Ochoa
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Chaar
authors.forename: Tamara N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dewan
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Huddle
authors.forename: Felix J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Schlosser
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Perkal
authors.forename: Bart E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Muhs
authors.forename: Alan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dardik
mesh_terms: D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D003237:Connecticut; D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D016015:Logistic Models; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies