Nutritional risk predicts postoperative complications and length of stay, whereas sarcopenia risk predicts need for step-down care in a mixed elective surgery population.

Preoperative nutritional screening can predict postoperative complications and LOS, whereas sarcopenia screening is predictive of the need for step-down care after discharge. Screening tools are quick and inexpensive and could provide valuable information to clinicians and allow patients the opportunity to enhance their physical preparedness for surgery thereby mitigating their risk for negative surgical outcomes.