POSTOPERATIVE ENERGY-INTAKE IN PATIENTS AFTER COLORECTAL-CANCER SURGERY

In a prospective noninterventional study of 75 consecutive patients (m ean age 71 +/- 12 years) undergoing surgery for colorectal cancer, sta ndard postoperative energy intake was evaluated. Seventeen patients ex pended 40%-60% of estimated basal energy during hospitalization, 33 pa tients 60%-80%, 22 patients 80%-100% and three patients 100%-125%. Wei ght loss was observed in 67 patients (mean loss 4.7 +/- 4.4%) during h ospitalization. Men had a significantly higher mean total calorie defi cit (p < 0.001), and mean weight loss percentage (p < 0.01), compared to women. Preoperative nutritional status, nutrition-associated compli cations and length of hospital stay did not change the nutritional sup port and intake. Correlation analyses resulted in significant associat ions between gender and total calorie deficit (r(s) = 0.41, p < 0.01), postoperative weight loss and total calorie deficit (r(s) = -0.32, p < 0.01), and between postoperative weight loss and length of stay (r(s ) = 0.27, < 0.05). We concluded that the patients' energy intake was i nsufficient compared to estimated basal energy expenditure. These resu lts suggest a need for individualized nutritional care, based on each patient's energy needs and on registration of daily calorie intake, al l with the aim of increasing energy intake postoperatively in standard hospital care.