Nutritional Risk in Oral Surgery Inpatients: Insights from a Retrospective Analysis Using NRS-2002

Background: Malnutrition is a common yet goes unrecognized issue among hospitalized patients, particularly older adults. Early identification and individualized nutritional interventions are essential for improving outcomes. The Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) is a validated tool widely used in acute care settings, but its utility in dental and oral surgery remains underexplored. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the clinical utility of NRS-2002 in patients admitted to the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at a university-affiliated dental hospital in Japan, and to examine the relationship between nutritional risk and clinical factors such as age, BMI, diagnosis, and length of hospital stay. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted on 548 patients (224 males, 324 females) hospitalized between August 2024 and March 2025. Nutritional screening was performed at admission using NRS-2002. Patients scoring ≥3 were classified as at nutritional risk and further assessed according to the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria. Results: The overall prevalence of nutritional risk (NRS-2002 ≥3) was 1.6% (9 patients), most of whom were elderly women with low BMI and severe conditions such as medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), and osteomyelitis. These patients had prolonged hospital stays and were more likely to require oral nutritional supplements (ONS). The majority of inpatients were younger adults, explaining the low overall risk. Conclusions: NRS-2002 is a feasible and effective tool for identifying high-risk patients in oral surgical settings. The findings underscore the need for structured nutritional screening, assessment, and intervention protocols—especially for elderly and medically complex patients—to improve perioperative care and outcomes.