Malnutrition, nutritional interventions and clinical outcomes of patients with acute small bowel obstruction: results from a national, multicentre, prospective audit

OBJECTIVE:The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status of patients presenting with small bowel obstruction (SBO), along with associated nutritional interventions and clinical outcomes. DESIGN:Prospective cohort study. SETTING:131 UK hospitals with acute surgical services. PARTICIPANTS:2069 adult patients with a diagnosis of SBO were included in this study. The mean age was 67.0 years and 54.7% were female. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES:Primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes recorded included: major complications (composite of in-hospital mortality, reoperation, unplanned intensive care admission and 30-day readmission), complications arising from surgery (anastomotic leak, wound dehiscence), infection (pneumonia, surgical site infection, intra-abdominal infection, urinary tract infection, venous catheter infection), cardiac complications, venous thromboembolism and delirium. RESULTS:Postoperative adhesions were the most common cause of SBO (49.1%). Early surgery (