Riesgo nutricional preoperatorio en pacientes para cirugía electiva

OBJECTIVE: To describe the preoperative nutritional risk in patients undergoing elective surgery using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) scale, in the outpatient clinic of Chiquimula's Hospital during the months of April to June 2025. METHOD: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted evaluating 104 patients scheduled for elective surgery at Chiquimula's Hospital who met the inclusion criteria. RESULTS: The preoperative nutritional risk of patients undergoing elective surgery using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool scale was most frequently high risk 53%, low risk 37%, and finally intermediate 12% of a total of 104 patients evaluated. 57% were female, the remaining 43% were male. 68% of patients scheduled for elective surgery had a Body Mass Index >20-30 kg/m2, 15% had a Body Mass Index between 18.5-20 kg/m2, and 4% had <18.5 kg/m2. The percentage of involuntary weight loss most frequently found in patients undergoing elective surgery was those who lost <5% of their weight, at 64%. Acute cholecystitis was most frequently identified as the effect of acute illnesses, at 67%. CONCLUSION: Preoperative nutritional risk using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool scale is most frequently high, at 53% of the cases evaluated.