title: Clinical and nutritional status of surgical patients with and without malignant diseases: cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malnutrition is frequently observed in inpatients with malignant diseases and may contribute to longer hospital stays.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the nutritional status, lymphocyte count, hemoglobin values and length of hospital stay of patients with and without malignant diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  This comparative study assessed indicators of nutritional status, namely body mass index, recent weight loss, lymphocyte count, hemoglobin and length of hospital stay, of 928 surgical patients with and without malignant diseases (50.2% females and 49.8% males). The chi-square test was used to compare proportions and the Mann-Whitney test was used to compare continuous measurements between two groups. The significance level was set at 5%.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with malignant diseases had longer hospital stays (P<0.0001), furthermore, a higher percentage of patients with malignant diseases had body mass index <18.5 (P<0.0001) and experienced recent weight changes (P<0.0002). Lymphocyte count also differed statistically between the groups (P = 0.0131), which lower levels were identified among patients with malignant diseases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The lymphocyte count, hemoglobin values and weight loss are important findings of nutritional depletion in patients with malignant diseases.
authors.affiliation: School of Nutrition, Pontifica Universidade Católica (PUC), Campinas, SP, Brazil. valm@dglnet.com.br
authors.forename: Vânia Aparecida
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Leandro-Merhi
authors.forename: José Luiz Braga de
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Aquino
authors.forename: José Gonzaga Teixeira de
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Camargo
authors.forename: Patrícia Baston
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Frenhani
authors.forename: Júlia Laura Delbue
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bernardi
authors.forename: Kátia Cristina Portero
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: McLellan
mesh_terms: D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006441:Hemoglobin A / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative
chemical_list: D006441:Hemoglobin A