title: Malnutrition in surgical wards: a plea for concern.
abstract: Background. Malnutrition in hospitalized patients is underdiagnosed, with 30 to 60% of patients admitted being malnourished. The objective of this study was to investigate the nutritional status of patients in a general surgery ward and to define the correlation between the risk of malnutrition and the hospital course and clinical outcome. Study design. The study group included 100 consecutive patients admitted to a general surgery ward who were ambulant and could undergo the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST). Results. Thirty-two patients (33%) had aMUST score of 2 or higher, and were therefore defined at high-malnutrition risk. The patients at risk had longer hospitalization and worse outcome. The length of stay of the malnourished patients was significantly longer than that of patients without malnutrition risk (18.8 +/- 11.5 vs. 7 +/- 5.3 days, P = .003). Mortality in the high-risk group was higher overall, in hospital, and after six months and one year of followup. Conclusions. Medical personnel must be aware that malnutrition afflicts even patients whose background is not suggestive of malnutrition. Best results are achieved when cooperation of all staff members is enlisted, because malnutrition has severe consequences and can be treated easily.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Rambam Health Care Campus, Haifa 31096, Israel.
authors.forename: Offir
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ben-Ishay
authors.forename: Haya
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gertsenzon
authors.forename: Tanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mashiach
authors.forename: Yoram
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kluger
authors.forename: Irit
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Chermesh
references.citation: BMC Geriatr. 2008 Oct 10;8:26
references.pmid: 18847458
references.citation: Proc Nutr Soc. 2005 Aug;64(3):305-11
references.pmid: 16048661
references.citation: Ann Surg. 1992 Aug;216(2):172-83
references.pmid: 1386982
references.citation: Rev Med Suisse Romande. 2004 Oct;124(10):617-23
references.pmid: 15573505
references.citation: BMJ. 2008 Feb 9;336(7639):290
references.pmid: 18258936
references.citation: QJM. 2002 Feb;95(2):83-7
references.pmid: 11861955
references.citation: BMJ. 1994 Apr 9;308(6934):945-8
references.pmid: 8173401
references.citation: JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr. 2002 Jan-Feb;26(1 Suppl):1SA-138SA
references.pmid: 11841046
references.citation: J Hum Nutr Diet. 2008 Feb;21(1):3-9; quiz 10-2
references.pmid: 18184388
references.citation: Clin Nutr. 2009 Oct;28(5):484-91
references.pmid: 19573957
references.citation: J Am Coll Nutr. 1998 Dec;17(6):571-8
references.pmid: 9853536
references.citation: Australas Radiol. 1999 Aug;43(3):325-7
references.pmid: 10901927
references.citation: Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2000 Jan;3(1):1-3
references.pmid: 10642076
references.citation: Nutrition. 2005 Feb;21(2):147-55
references.pmid: 15723742
references.citation: QJM. 2000 Feb;93(2):93-8
references.pmid: 10700479
references.citation: Support Care Cancer. 2006 Nov;14(11):1152-6
references.pmid: 16622648
references.citation: J Chronic Dis. 1987;40(5):373-83
references.pmid: 3558716
references.citation: Proc Nutr Soc. 2003 Nov;62(4):807-11
references.pmid: 15018479
references.citation: Br J Nutr. 2006 Feb;95(2):325-30
references.pmid: 16469149
references.citation: Clin Nutr. 2003 Apr;22(2):147-52
references.pmid: 12706131
references.citation: Lancet. 1977 Mar 26;1(8013):689-92
references.pmid: 66485
references.citation: Pol Merkur Lekarski. 2008 Mar;24(141):231-6
references.pmid: 18634289
references.citation: Clin Nutr. 2003 Aug;22(4):415-21
references.pmid: 12880610