Background and aims: Patients undergoing major gastrointestinal (GI) surgery, particularly those with malignancies, have a high risk for malnutrition, requiring perioperative nutritional support to reduce complications. During the Nutrition Insights Day (NID), nutritional data of this patient population were documented in seven Asian countries.
Methods: Observational, cross-sectional study with retrospective data collection of nutritional status, calorie/protein targets/intake, and type of clinical nutrition for up to 5 days before NID.
Inclusion criteria: Adult patients following major GI surgery, pre-existing/at (high) risk for malnutrition, on enteral (EN) and/or parenteral nutrition (PN) and latest surgery within 10 days before the NID.
Exclusion criteria: Burns, mechanical ventilation on NID, oral nutrition and/or oral nutritional supplements (ONS) on the day before the NID, and emergency procedures.
Results: 536 patients from 83 hospitals, mean age 58.8 ± 15.1 years, 59.1% males, were eligible. Leading diagnosis were GI diseases (48.7%) and GI cancer (45.9%). Malnutrition risk was moderate to high in 54% of patients, low in 46%. Hospital length of stay (LOS) before the NID was 9.3 ± 19.0 days, and time since last surgery 3.7 ± 2.4 days. Lowest caloric/protein deficits were observed in patients receiving EN + PN, followed by PN alone and EN alone. Type of clinical nutrition, Body Mass Index and LOS on surgical intensive care unit (SICU) and/or surgical ward were independent predictors of caloric and of protein deficit.
Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of postoperative nutritional deficits in Asian GI surgery patients, who are either preoperatively malnourished or at risk of malnutrition, indicating a need to improve nutritional support and education.
Keywords: Asia; Caloric deficit; Clinical nutrition; Observational study; Perioperative nutrition; Protein deficit.
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