[Prognostic factors for malnutrition in patients with colorectal cancer].

Introduction: patients undergoing major abdominal surgery, including colorectal surgery, particularly if they are oncological patients, are at risk of malnutrition with a worse postoperative evolution and an increase in complications. Objectives: to assess the prevalence of malnutrition in patients undergoing colon and rectal surgery in our hospital, and to identify the different risk factors for malnutrition. Methods: a retrospective cohort study including all patients operated on for colorectal cancer in our environment.

[Procalcitonin as a marker of intra-abdominal infection].

Background: Procalcitonin is a quite specific biomarker of infection and in recent years has shown its superiority to others markers of inflammation, such as C-reactive protein, for the diagnosis and monitoring of a variety of infections.

Aim: For this reason, several researchers have studied the potential role of procalcitonin for diagnosis and management of these infections.

Discussion: Intra-abdominal infections are a heterogeneous group of infections that, sometimes, pose difficult challenges to physicians.