DECLARE @stmt nvarchar(4000)
DECLARE @rowcount bigint
DECLARE @table nvarchar(255)
SET @table = 'authors'
SELECT @stmt = 'SELECT @count = COUNT(*) FROM ' + @table
EXEC sp_executesql @stmt, N' @count bigint output', @rowcount OUTPUT
IF @rowcount > 0
     BEGIN
         SELECT @rowcount AS Anzahl
     END
RETURN 

Anzahl               
-------------------- 
23

(1 row(s) affected)