Nutritional status and risk screening in neonatal surgery with modified screening tool for the assessment of malnutrition in pediatrics

Children hospitalized for surgery face malnutrition risks. This study assessed nutritional risk and status in hospitalized neonatal surgical patients using a modified Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics (STAMP) combined with anthropometry.

A retrospective analysis of neonatal surgical patients from December 2020 to October 2024 was conducted at a children's hospital, utilizing the modified STAMP and anthropometric measurements.

Among 2700 patients, 1712 were male (63.41%) and 988 female (36.59%). Risk classification showed 33.48% low risk, 30.22% medium risk, and 36.30% high risk, with males more frequently at medium to high risk (P < 0.001). Superficial tumors were common in low-risk patients, while gastrointestinal diseases predominated in higher-risk groups. Malnutrition was diagnosed in 27.04% of patients, with acute malnutrition more prevalent than chronic. Neonates (36.74%) exhibited higher malnutrition risk (P < 0.001). High-risk patients had lower height, weight, and biochemical levels (albumin, retinol-binding protein, prealbumin) (P < 0.001) and incurred longer hospital stays. Male sex, younger age, and formula feeding were identified as risk factors for increased malnutrition risk.

This study provides new data on the application of the modified STAMP score combined with Z-scores in infants and neonates with surgical conditions.

This study offers new data and theoretical insights into the application of the modified STAMP scoring system in infants and even neonates with surgical conditions. This study demonstrates the applicability of the modified STAMP scoring system in infants and neonates, providing a theoretical foundation for the future development of neonatal nutritional risk screening tools and preoperative prehabilitation strategies for infants undergoing surgery.