title: Factors that impact patient outcome: nutrition assessment.
abstract: Defining malnutrition and nutrition risk has been a topic of many papers and discussions throughout the modern literature. Multiple definitions have been proposed, ranging from simple body weight measurements to a more all-encompassing concept looking at disease-specific inflammatory states. Biochemical markers, elements of a history examination, physical examination findings, calculations, and technical tests have all been proposed to help further characterize and delineate those who might be at risk for malnutrition, translating to an increased risk of adverse outcomes after major surgery. The purpose of this paper is to summarize some of the most utilized and most reliable ways to determine nutrition status within the scope of the North American Surgical Nutrition Summit (2012) and discuss how to incorporate these methods into the way that patients are screened preoperatively for elective surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee Medical Center, Knoxville, Tennessee.
authors.forename: Christy M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Lawson
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Daley
authors.forename: Valerie G
authors.initials: VG
authors.lastname: Sams
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Martindale
authors.forename: Kenneth A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kudsk
authors.forename: Keith R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Miller
mesh_terms: D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D015992:Body Mass Index; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D006801:Humans; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000178:diet therapy; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009752:Nutritional Status; D010808:Physical Examination; D011300:Preoperative Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: body mass index; elective surgery; malnutrition; nutrition assessment