Malnutrition can result in a variety of abnormalities, the severity of which may be proportional to the degree of deficiency.
|
|
Mild Malnutrition |
Moderate Malnutrition |
Severe Malnutrition |
|
Percent Ideal Body Weight |
80-90% |
70-79% |
< 70% |
|
Percent of Usual Body Weight |
90-95% |
80-89% |
< 80% |
|
Albumin (g/dL) |
2.8-3.4 |
2.1-2.7 |
< 2.1 |
|
Transferrin (mg/dL) |
150 - 200 |
100 - 149 |
< 100 |
|
Total Lymphocyte Count (per µL) |
1200 - 2000 |
800 - 1199 |
< 800 |
|
Cell Mediated Immunity (Delayed Type Hypersensitivity) |
reactive |
reactive |
anergic |
Weight Criteria for Assessing Nutritional Risk
|
Weight Loss |
Mild Malnutrition |
Moderate Malnutrition |
Severe Malnutrition |
|
Total |
5-15% |
15-25% |
> 25%; lethal when >40% |
|
Loss in 1 week |
0 - 1% |
1-2% |
> 2% |
|
Loss in 1 month |
< 5% |
5% |
> 5% |
|
Loss in 3 months |
< 7.5% |
7.5% |
> 7.5% |
|
Loss in 6 months |
< 10% |
10% |
> 10% |
where:
• percent weight loss =
= ((((usual body weight) - (current body weight)) / (usual body weight)) * 100)
• percent ideal body weight =
= ((actual weight) / (ideal body weight)) * 100
• percent usual body weight =
= ((actual weight) / (usual body weight)) * 100
Limitations:
• Many conditions can result in over- or underestimation of deficiency.
• Underestimation of deficiency may occur in: fluid overload, recent massive transfusion, recent massive albumin infusion, and lymphocytosis.
• Overestimation of deficiency may occur in: immunodeficiency states, with immunosuppression, after chemotherapy, or with myelosuppression.
Specialty: Nutrition, Pedatrics
ICD-10: ,
