Assess weight changes, dietary habits, gastrointestinal function, inspect status of subcutaneous fat, muscle tone, evaluate for edema. ascites, signs of mineral or vitamin deficiencies such as dermatitis, cheilosis, glossitis, neuromuscular irritability or hair changes.
Prealbumin, transferrin, and retinol binding proteins are indicators of nutritional intake.
CRP is synthesized in the liver and is an acute phase protein and indicates inflammation.
CRP measured with prealbumin can differentiate a low prealbumin due to nutritional depletion versus low prealbumin from an acute phase process.
Albumin serum concentration an indicator of nutritional status.
Albumin a good indicator of preoperative outcome, but affected by too many variables in the acute care setting to make it reliable marker of nutritional status in the postoperative period.