Page 48 - Coespu 2018-4

has malnutrition because of a chronic disease may need to have his or her nutritional status
monitored on a regular basis.
Hospitalized patients are often assessed for nutritional status prior to or at the time of admission.
This may include a history, an interview by a dietician, and laboratory tests. If the results of these
tests indicate possible nutritional deficits, patients may be provided nutritional support prior to a
surgery or procedure and be monitored regularly during
recovery.
 Laboratory tests may include (for general screening and
monitoring):
 Lipid panel
 CBC (complete blood count)
 CMP (comprehensive metabolic panel)
 Albumin
 Total protein

For nutritional status and deficiencies:
Iron tests such as serum iron, transferrin and iron-binding capacity, and ferritin
Vitamins and trace minerals such as
B12 and folate, vitamin A, vitamin
D, B vitamins, calcium, and
magnesium
Prealbumin: although commonly
used as a marker of malnutrition,
levels of this protein may be
affected by a number of conditions
other than malnutrition. Research is
continuing in order to better
understand the role(s) of
prealbumin in the body, especially
the reasons for changes observed during illness, and the clinical utility of prealbumin testing.
Albumin has been used in the past along with or instead of prealbumin to evaluate nutritional status
but now is more often used to screen for and help diagnose
liver or kidney disease.
Leptin: suppressed levels may indicate malnutrition in
some patients; this test is not widely available.
Celiac disease blood tests measure the amount of
particular antibodies in the blood. The most common tests
include anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTG), IgA class,
quantitative immunoglobulin A (IgA) test, and deamidated
gliadin peptide antibodies (anti-DGP), IgA or IgG.
While for what concern imaging and radiographic scans
may be ordered to help evaluate the health of internal
organs and the normal growth and development of

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