Table 2.

Subjective Global Assessment6

History

○ Weight change

• In past 6 months

• In past 2 weeks

○ Dietary changes

• If change, duration of change

• If intake decreased, characterize diet: suboptimal solid, full liquid, hypocaloric, starvation

○ Symptoms present >2 weeks

• None, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia

• Functional status

• No dysfunction

• If dysfunction, duration (weeks) and degree (working suboptimally, ambulatory, bedridden, specific impairments)

• Primary diagnosis and presence of metabolic stress

• No stress, low, moderate, high

Physical examination

○ Characterize each as: normal (0), mild (1+), moderate (2+), severe (3+)

• Loss of triceps and chest subcutaneous fat

• Muscle wasting of quadriceps and deltoids

• Ascites

• Ankle edema

• Sacral edema

Subjective Global Assessment Rating

○ A = Well nourished

○ B = Moderately malnourished

○ C = Severely malnourished