Prognostic nutritional index in gastrointestinal surgery

Three, single-day nutritional surveys at weekly intervals were conducted in the general medical wards of an urban municipal teaching hospital. The techniques of nutritional assessment included anthropometric measures (weight/height, triceps skin fold, arm-muscle circumference, serum albumin, and hematocrit). The prevalence of protein-calorie malnutrition was 44% or greater by these criteria (weight/height, 45%; triceps skin fold, 76%; arm-muscle circumference, 55%; serum albumin, 44%; and hematocrit, 48%). These results were reproducible without significant variation between surveys. In 34% of patients, a lymphopenia of 1,200 cells/cu mm or less was found, a level likely to be associated with diminished cell-mediated immunity. Compared with a similar survey among surgical patients, the medical patients were more depleted calorically (weight/height, triceps skin fold) but had better protein status (arm-muscle circumference, serum albumin). Significant protein-calorie malnutrition occurs commonly in municipal hospitals in both medical and surgical services.

The substantial prevalence of malnutrition in the hospitalized patient population has only been recently recognized. Preoperative nutritional and immunological assessment was performed prospectively on admission in 64 consecutive surgical patients. Factors measured included weight loss, triceps skinfold, midarm muscle circumference, creatinine-height index, serum albumin level, serum transferrin level, total lymphocyte count, serum complement level, serum immunoelectrophoresis, lymphocyte T rosettes formation, neutrophil migration, and delayed hypersensitivity. Using these criteria for malnutrition, 97% of the patients had at least one abnormal measurement and 35% had at least three abnormal measurements. Patients were monitored for complications during their hospital course. Serum albumin level, serum transferrin level, and delayed hypersensitivity reactions were the only accurate prognostic indicators of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Substantial unrecognized malnutrition exists in the surgical patient population. An isolated indicator of malnutrition should be interpreted with caution. The visceral protein compartment (serum albumin and serum transferrin levels and delayed hypersensitivity) is the most accurate prognostic indicator of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Perioperative nutritional support may reduce operative morbidity and mortality in the malnourished operative candidate.