Do preoperative nutrition parameters (weight loss and serum albumin) predict postoperative outcomes in elderly general surgery patients?
Serum albumin is a reliable preoperative parameter to identify elderly general surgery patients at risk for a complicated postoperative course.
This systematic review revealed only 2 preoperative parameters to predict postoperative outcome in elderly general surgery patients: weight loss and serum albumin. Both are open to discussion in their use as a preoperative nutrition parameter. Nonetheless, serum albumin seems a reliable preoperative parameter to identify a patient at risk for nutrition deterioration and related complicated postoperative course.
Stijn et al. (Tue,) studied this question.