Low Food Consumption Interferes with the Nutritional Status of Surgical Patients with Neoplasia of the Gastrointestinal Tract

ABSTRACT

Background:

Nutritional support strongly influence the nutritional status of the surgical neoplastic patients. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of food consumption on the perioperative nutritional status of hospitalized patients with neoplasia of the upper (UGIT) and lower (LGIT) gastrointestinal tract.

Method

Observational, longitudinal, and prospective study. Data collected: food consumption, Subjective Global Assessment, anthropometry, laboratory tests.

Results

Eighty patients were followed up: 43 (54%) in the UGIT and 37 (46%) in the LGIT. The consumption in the perioperative period was lower than the usual consumption in the UGIT and LGIT groups, respectively, of energy (14.2 ± 6.5; 22.8 ± 11.2 Kcal/kg/d, p < 0.001; 13.6 ± 1.2; 19.0 ± 2.0 Kcal/kg/d; p = 0.014), protein (1.1 ± 0.7; 0.6 ± 0.3 g/kg/d, p < 0.001; 0.8 ± 0.1; 0.5 ± 0.1 g/kg/d; p = 0.058), selenium, zinc and copper. Most patients presented in the UGIT and LGIT groups, respectively, worsening malnutrition and muscle depletion according to the Subjective Global Assessment (61.9%; 51.4%) and hypoalbuminemia, mainly in the UGIT in the postoperative.

Conclusion

Low food consumption during the perioperative period associated with prolongation of the postoperative fasting period worsens the nutritional status of patients undergoing surgery of the gastrointestinal tract for neoplasia, especially in the UGIT group.

Acknowledgments

We thank all of the patients who participated in our research, as well as the Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria – HUSM professionals for their support.

Author’s contributions

A.G., E.C., J.E.B. and S.C.B. equally contributed to the conception of the research; A.G. and E.C. equally contributed to the design of the research; A.G., C.Z.F., M.S., B.P.A. and J.F. contributed to the acquisition of the data; A.G., E.C., E.I.M. and C.T.M. contributed to the interpretation and analysis of the data; and A.G. and E.C. drafted the manuscript. All authors critically revised the manuscript, agree to be fully accountable for ensuring the integrity and accuracy of the work, and read and approved the final manuscript.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding/Support

We have not received any source of funding for research.