Table 2.

Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS-2002).

Impaired Nutritional Status		Severity of Disease (Stress Metabolism)
Absent score 0	Normal nutritional status	Absent score 0	Normal nutritional requirements
Mild score 1	Weight loss 45% in 3 months or Food intake below 50–75% of normal requirement in preceding week	Mild score 1	Hip fracture; chronic patients, in particular with acute complications: cirrhosis; COPD; chronic hemodialysis, diabetes, oncology
Moderate score 2	Weight loss 45% in 2 months or BMI 18.5–20.5 + impaired general condition or Food intake 25–50% of normal requirement in preceding week	Moderate score 2	Major abdominal surgery; stroke; severe pneumonia, hematologic malignancy
Severe score 3	Weight loss >5% in 1 month >15% in 3 months or Body Mass Index of 18.5 + impaired general condition or Food intake 0–25% of normal requirement in preceding week	Severe score 3	Head injury; bone marrow transplantation; intensive care patients (APACHE 10)

Calculate the total score: 1. Find score (0–3) for impaired nutritional status (only one: choose the variable with highest score) and severity of disease (stress metabolism, i.e., increase in nutritional requirements); 2. Add the two scores (total score); 3. If age ≥ 70 years: add 1 to the total score to correct for frailty of elderly patients; 4. If age-corrected total =>3: start nutritional support.