Nutritional assessment as a routine in clinical medicine.

Nutritional assessment parameters, such as plasma protein levels (albumin) and delayed hypersensitivity response, have prognostic value in evaluation of hospitalized patients. Abnormalities implicate protein-calorie malnutrition as a factor in many illnesses. Given the wide availability of enteral and parenteral products to treat malnutrition, the detection of nutritional deficiencies before they become manifest as delayed wound healing and/or impaired resistance to infection is of utmost importance.