Association of nutritional status and functional capacity in gastrointestinal cancer patients

Objective: To determine the nutritional status and its association with functional capacity in patients with digestive tract cancer. Methods: We retrospectively studied all adult patients hospitalized who were diagnosed as having a cancer of the digestive tract. Nutritional status and functional capacity were assessed. Descriptive statistic and odds ratio were used to determine the association in SPSS 14.0. Results: 57 patients were included, 96% had weight loss. Using subjective global assessment (SGA) as a method of screening, 82.5% of the patients were found malnutrition and by biochemical and immunological test 82% and 65% respectively. Functional capacity was assessed by Karnofsky index, finding that 75.5% of the patients have some activity limitation. Results show an association between malnutrition by SGA and limitation in functional capacity (chi(2) = 1.56; p = 0.212; OR: 2.46; 95% confidence interval [95% CI]: 0.581-10.465). In addition, we observe an association between the total lymphocyte count and limitation in functional capacity (chi(2) = 6.94; p = 0.008; OR: 5.23; 95% CI: 1.441-19.025). Conclusions: Malnutrition in patients with digestive tract cancer was associated with limitation in functional capacity.