Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate which anthropometric measurement to focus on as an indicator of recovery of nutritional status in patints after gastrectomy for the cancer of the stomach. 64 patients with no signs of recurrence were followed for one year after discharge from the hospital, and changes in their body weight (BW) and upper arm measurements were assessed in relation to the amount of food intake and their desire to recover BW.
The findings were as follows:
1. The postoperative recovery of BW was poor, with almost no change in BW from 6 months after discharge. TSF decreased markedly after dischange, while AMC increased only slightly.
2. Food intake had decreased to 73% of preoperative levels 6 months after discharge, and was consistent with decreased anthropometric measurements at that time.
3. Patient desire to recover BW was greater in those with lower %BW; the critical point for the presence of a desire to recover BW was estimated to be approximately 85%.
4. Among patints with 86% or higher levels of %BW after 6 months, both average of %BW and %AMC were maintained at levels of more than 90%. In those with %BW less than 85%, %AMC was approximately 89%, however, depletion of TSF was remarkable, which was reflected in a lower %BW, contributing to a divergence between %BW and %AMC. 5. Considering that %AMC is related to muscle strength and consequently important to activities of daily livilng, and that changes in BW are compensated for by depletion of TSF and regain of AMC, the above findings indicate that AMC should be given greater importance in the assessment of recovery.
