The purpose of the study is to determine the variability of airway IgA levels in anesthetized, well-nourished and malnourished patients undergoing elective general surgical procedures and the effect of gender and race on this baseline variable. The hypothesis is that airway IgA levels are lower in malnourished than in well-nourished patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Undergoing surgery via general anesthesia

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients with a history of asthma or documented airway irritability
• Patients who have undergone previous pulmonary resection
• Patients receiving cardiac medications for arrhythmias.

patients undergoing surgery with general anesthesia