Postoperative oral nutritional supplementation improved nutritional status and quality of life in malnourished patients
QUESTION: Does postoperative oral nutritional supplementation improve nutritional status, morbidity, and quality of life in malnourished patients?
Design
Randomised {allocation not concealed},* blinded {patients},* controlled trial with follow up for 10 weeks.
Setting
A university hospital in Scotland, UK.
Patients
109 patients who were admitted to hospital for elective gastrointestinal or vascular surgery and had malnutrition (defined as ≥1 of the following: a body mass index ≤20 kg/m2, a triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) or mid arm muscle circumference (MAMC) ≤ the 15th centile, or a weight loss ≥5% between admission and resumption of oral intake by the eighth postoperative day). Patients were excluded if they required parenteral nutrition, were pregnant or lactating, or had terminal diseases, decompensated liver disease, or renal disease. 101 patients (93%) (mean age 58 y, 59% men) had complete follow up.
Intervention
Patients were allocated to treatment …
