Assessment of the Pre-operative Nutritional Status of Patients who were Scheduled for Elective Surgery and Determination of Nutritional Support Requirements

Aim: We aimed to evaluate the nutritional status with clinical, antropometric and laboratory methods in patients who were scheduled for elective surgery.\udMethods: Retrospective evaluation of 90 patients in a period of 4 years was performed. Patients with tumors (group 1) were compared with controls (group 2) in regard to nutritional status. Student t-test, Mann-Whitney U test and chi-square test were used for statistical analysis.\udResults: The mean age of patients in group 1 (3 males, 8 females) and group 2 (35 males, 44 females) was 62.8±11.0 and 47.7±16.2 years, respectively. The mean body mass index (BMI) was 30.1±6.6. Triceps thickness and circumference of the upper mid-arm were 2.2±0.8 and 28.6±4.2 cm, respectively. All patients had a Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) score A, but two patients were classified as having moderate nutritional risk according to Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS) 2002. The mean length of hospital stay was 2.6±2.4 days. Complications were observed in four patients of group 2 and in two patients of group 1. Gender, SGA score, albumin, prealbumin, BMI, triceps thickness, circumference of the upper mid-arm and complication rates were statistically similar between the groups. There was a statistically significant difference in age, NRS 2002, gastrointestinal system findings, length of hospital stay, sedimentation and fasting blood glucose levels between the groups.\udConclusion: Patients with nutritional risk can be detected using the NRS 2002. Nutritional support was necessary in 2% of all cases and in 18% of group 1 patients. However, advantages of antropometric measurements, biochemical tests, BMI and SGA could not be shown