[Nutritional status morbility and mortality in patients with gastrointestinal anastomosis in the "Hospital Nacional Hipolito Unanue" (HNHU)].

Objectives: [corrected] To estimate the nutritional status of patients undergoing gastrointestinal anastomoses. To determine which test used for the malnutrition diagnose is better correlated with the presence of complications.

Methods: The nutritional status of 136 patients was done with hematologic and anthropometric tests and Subjective Global Assessment (SGA). The morbidity and mortality were recorded to identify the difference between well-nourished and malnourished patients.

Results: 85 (62,5%) patients were males. Malnutrition rate according to albumin, lymphocyte count, BMI, UAC (upper arm circumference) and SGA was 54,5%; 58,9%; 19,1%; 50,7% y 44,9% respectively. 44 (32,4%) patients had complications. It was found a statistically significant relationship for albumin and SGA for complications when comparing with the multiple regression analysis. The length of stay average was 10,7 days for well-nourished patients and 25,22 days for malnourished patients (p<0,005). The mortality rate was 7,5%.

Conclusions: The prevalence of malnutrition in surgical patients is high. Malnutrition is associated with complications and increased length of stay. The albumin and SGA are good parameters to value the nutrition status and the correlation with complications.