Impact of malnutrition on early outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, multicentre, prospective cohort study

GlobalSurg Collaborative and NIHR Global Health Unit on Global Surgery | Open Access | Published: March, 2023 | DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S2214-109X(22)00550-2

Summary

Background

Malnutrition represents a key priority for global health policy, yet the impact of nutritional state on cancer surgery worldwide remains poorly described. We aimed to analyse the effect of malnutrition on early postoperative outcomes following elective surgery for colorectal or gastric cancer.

Methods

We did an international, multicentre, prospective cohort study of patients undergoing elective surgery for colorectal or gastric cancer between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019. Patients were excluded if the primary pathology was benign, they presented with cancer recurrence, or if they underwent emergency surgery (within 72 h of hospital admission). Malnutrition was defined with the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria. The primary outcome was death or a major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression and a three-way mediation analysis were done to establish the relationship between country income group, nutritional status, and 30-day postoperative outcomes.

Record malnutrition: Africa’s Sahel region to have over 6 million wasted children in 2022, warn UN agencies

Over 900,000 young lives can be at risk in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal

Madhumita Paul

Down To Earth | April 14, 2022

Around 6.3 million children in the 6-59 months age group will suffer wasting in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger and Senegal in 2022, a new report warned. 

Over 1.4 million of these children in these six countries in Africa’s Sahel region will suffer severe wasting, United Nations agencies said in the report published March 2022. 

The number of children under five experiencing acute malnutrition will be the highest in 2022 for the region, the paper by West and Central Africa Regional Nutrition Working Group showed. 

Millions of malnourished children in West and Central Africa have been overlooked by UN estimates – new data

by Misha Ketchell

The Conversation | November 08, 2019

Children who experience multiple forms of malnutrition are at the greatest risk of early death. JLwarehouse/Shutterstock

Four years ago the United Nations (UN) members states created a list of international development targets, known as the Sustainable Development Goals. These included 17 urgent calls for action aimed at improving the lives of people around the world. Tackling poverty and food insecurity were placed at the top of the list.

One region where hunger and poverty continue to blight the lives of millions, affecting the survival and development of children in particular, is in West and Central Africa.

Malnutrition threatens the world

by  Lisandra Fariñas Acosta

Granma | March 19, 2018

Photo: Global Nutrition Report 2015

IN a world of paradoxes such as this, while hunger dominates on one side, its worst antithesis gains ground on the other. A worrying conclusion can be drawn from both calamities: humanity faces a serious nutritional situation.

Nigeria: Catastrophic Malnutrition in Borno State

Doctors Without Borders  | 27 July, 2016

MSF CALLS FOR MAJOR HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE AS TEAMS CONTINUE TO REACH AFFECTED AREAS

GENEVA/NEW YORK – A major humanitarian operation is needed to save lives in northeastern Nigeria’s Borno state, where more than 500,000 people are living in catastrophic conditions in villages and towns affected by the conflict between the military and Boko Haram, the international medical humanitarian organization Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warned today, after finding extremely high levels of malnutrition in another town where MSF teams recently gained access.