Evaluation of Nutritional Status and Correlation with Postoperative Complications in Elderly Patients Submitted to Surgical Treatment of Proximal Femoral Fractures

Objective This study aims to evaluate and correlate the nutritional status with potential complications during the immediate postoperative period of elderly patients surgically treated for proximal femoral fractures. Methods A prospective, cross-sectional analytical study with a quantitative approach, targeting patients aged 60 years old or more who were admitted to a hospital in Amazonas, Brazil, for surgical treatment of proximal femoral fractures. Surgical complications during the immediate postoperative period and their relationship with the nutritional status of the patient were determined using the mini nutritional assessment (MNA); in addition, the lymphocyte numbers and serum albumin levels were determined and correlated with the length of hospital stay. Results The sample consisted of 19 elderly patients, of both genders, with a mean age of 70.8 years. Most of the subjects (68.4%) were female. Malnutrition was diagnosed in 15.8% of the subjects using the body mass index (BMI) as, an anthropometric variable, and the MNA identified 31.6% of the subjects with malnutrition. Regarding total lymphocyte count, 100% of the sample showed a positive association with malnutrition in varying degrees; using serum albumin level as a parameter, malnutrition was identified in 89.4% of the subjects. Malnourished patients had the highest average length of stay. Surgical complications as surgical site infections occurred in 10.5% of the patients at risk of malnutrition. Conclusion This study revealed a higher rate of postoperative complications in elderly patients diagnosed with malnutrition.