[Effects of the nutritional status of patients submitted to elective surgery]

Between march 5, 1987 and september 10, 1987, 30 patients were operated in elective way of the alimentary tract. They were evaluated to determine the nutritional status and their relation to the postoperative morbidity-mortality. The variables evaluated were weight, height, arm circumference, triceps skinfold thicknesses and serum albumin, lymphocytes and transferrin. 60% of those patients had a normal nutrition, and didn't have morbidity-mortality. 30% had light malnutrition; in this group there was 1 demise and 33% morbidity. 33% had mild malnutrition and 6.7% (2 patients) severe malnutrition. Both patients died because the postoperative complications. The most useful predictive variables were albumin and lymphocytes.