Nutritional Care Research Articles

Effectiveness of Oral Nutrition Supplements in Older Patients: Evidence Versus Challenges

The increasing population of older adults imposes a significant burden and expenditures on healthcare services. Malnutrition is frequently associated with chronic diseases in older patients. Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are crucial in managing malnutrition in older adults who need nutritional support. However, challenges related to low adherence may limit the effectiveness of ONS. This narrative review focuses on the difficulties associated with ONS use and the evidence regarding its efficacy in older patients. Studies have reported that ONS can be an effective strategy for nutritional interventions to prevent weight loss by supporting an increase in total food consumption. In addition, ONS have shown positive effects on walking speed and muscle strength in older adults. While the evidence for the positive impact of ONS on enhanced appetite, improved energy intake, and body weight in older patients at risk of malnutrition is well documented, concerns about inadequate consumption, taste and texture dissatisfaction, and low adherence have also been noted. Poor adherence to nutritional therapy may place older patients at risk of medical complications, rehospitalizations, and interruptions in nutritional care. Future qualitative and mixed-method research focused on improving the reporting and follow-up of ONS adherence and understanding the factors influencing acceptance in older patients will strengthen the existing literature and provide valuable guidance for healthcare teams in increasing adherence.

Explore the Experience and Effectiveness of Nurse-Led Mother Empowerment Session on Management of Children Undergone Bone Marrow Transplantation: A Mixed Method Study

ABSTRACT Background: Special treatment units in particular, for age groups from birth to 14 years, or up to 18 years in some cases, provide highly advantageous treatments for pediatric cancers. BMT has become important in the treatment of several childhood diseases, such as leukemia and immunodeficiency, but with its own challenges of immune suppression, infection risks, and irregular posttransplant care. Objectives: This study investigated the healthcare experiences of mothers and the impact of the empowerment sessions conducted by nurses in the care of children post-BMT. Methodology: A mixed-method approach was used with a phenomenological design to be utilized for qualitative analysis on five mothers and a quasi-experimental pre–post design for quantitative analysis on 30 mothers. Data collection was through interviews and pre- and post-intervention assessments on nutrition, infection prevention, and follow-up care. Results: Support, discomfit, and emotional involvement were among the themes that described the stay at the hospital. Nurse-led classes greatly contributed to improvement in maternal literacy: a marked reduction was observed from inadequate to 0%; moderate improvement from 6% to 60%, whereas adequate from 36 to 40%. The score on PG-SGA shows that 76.66% of the mothers showed severe malnutrition. Conclusion: Empowerment sessions provided by the nurses greatly empowered the mother emotionally and added to an increase in the mother’s literacy skill, much contributing to an improvement in posttransplant management along with enhancing the quality of family life.

Effects of malocclusion and orthodontic treatment on quality of life among orthodontic patients with craniofacial disorder compared to healthy controls : Across-sectional study.

Craniofacial disorders (CD) affect the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP). Therefore, this study evaluates the OHIP in orthodontic patients with cleft lip and/or palate or Robin sequence compared to healthy controls(C). Aprospective, cross-sectional study was conducted. Oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL) was assessed using the OHIP-14 questionnaire, with responses categorized into functional and psychological well-being items. In addition, the study considered the influence of crossbite, orthodontic appliance type, oral hygiene, and speech therapy. Ahigh OHIP score represents agood quality of life. The Mann-Whitney test was used for nonparametric quantitative variables; statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. The study included 119 participants (ages 7-21years; 61male, 58female), divided into aCD group consisting of patients with cleft lip and/or palate or Robin sequence (n = 42) and acontrol group(C; n = 77; mean age 13.5 ± 5.2 and 14.3 ± 3.3years, respectively). Both groups showed comparable OHIP-14 scores. The CD group reported significantly higher satisfaction regarding nutritional intake (p = 0.03), while the social and psychological dimensions were reduced (p = 0.04). Factors like crossbite, orthodontic appliance and speech therapy did not have asignificant impact on OHIP. CD patients with good oral hygiene showed significantly superior self-reported psychological OHIP (p = 0.04). Patients with cleft lip and/or palate or with Robin sequence exhibited OHIP scores comparable to healthy individuals despite their underlying condition. Early guidance on dental care and tooth-friendly nutrition has the potential to improve OHRQoL. Additionally, providing supplemental psychological support during orthodontic treatment is advisable.

Preoperative Nutrition in Bariatric Surgery: A Narrative Review on Enhancing Surgical Success and Patient Outcomes

Bariatric surgery has become the preferred treatment for individuals with morbid obesity. Nutrition is key in optimizing surgical outcomes by reducing risks and enhancing recovery. Preoperative strategies, such as reducing body fat, decreasing liver size, and improving metabolic profiles, have been shown to facilitate safer surgical procedures with fewer complications. This narrative review aims to provide an analysis of the fundamental role of preoperative nutritional management in improving bariatric surgery outcomes, emphasizing the importance of addressing specific nutritional challenges to enhance surgical safety, recovery, and overall health. Preoperative nutritional interventions focus on correcting comorbidities and nutritional deficiencies, particularly hypovitaminosis and micronutrient imbalances, through a multidisciplinary approach involving nutritionists and other healthcare professionals. These interventions not only prepare patients for the physiological demands of surgery but also initiate a period of adaptation to new dietary habits, aiming to improve long-term compliance and mitigate risks such as postoperative weight regain and dumping syndrome. Adopting dietary changes, such as very low-calorie or ketogenic diets 6–12 weeks before surgery, enhances adherence to postoperative restrictions and overall surgical success. Future research should focus on developing comprehensive guidelines for preoperative nutritional care to improve patient outcomes globally.

Reducing Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries in a Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit.

Hospital-acquired pressure injuries are a significant patient safety concern. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services tracks hospital-acquired pressure injuries as a patient safety indicator. Health care organizations with higher-than-expected rates may incur penalties. The pressure injury prevalence rate in a cardiothoracic intensive care unit was above the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators benchmark. The current standard of care-use of the Braden scale for pressure injury risk assessment and the SKIN (surface, keep turning, incontinence care, and nutrition) care bundle-may not adequately address the needs of the intensive care unit population. In addition, cardiac patients present a special challenge because of their disease process and the mechanical support devices used to treat patients in cardiogenic shock, which place them at risk for the development of hospital-acquired pressure injuries. A performance improvement project was carried out in the cardiothoracic intensive care unit to reduce the prevalence and incidence of hospital-acquired pressure injuries. A preintervention convenience cohort was compared with a postintervention cohort. The intervention consisted of use of the Cubbin-Jackson scale, an intensive care unit-specific risk-assessment tool, with linked interventions to prevent pressure injuries. The preintervention and postintervention cohorts consisted of 102 patients each. The pressure injury prevalence and incidence rates decreased by 67.84% and 36.43%, respectively, from before to after the intervention. The use of an intensive care unit-specific risk-assessment tool with linked interventions to prevent pressure injury can help reduce hospital-acquired pressure injuries in an intensive care unit.

Nutrition Care Model for Nutritional Assessment and Dietary Counseling of Adults Living with HIV in India

Abstract Background: A high prevalence of undernutrition (40%) exists among adults living with HIV (ALHIV) in India due to their increased metabolic demands. Diminished nutritional status in turn has been associated with increased risk of morbidity and mortality among ALHIV. Nutritional assessment and its management are an integral part of HIV care; however, no strategy exists for screening of undernutrition among ALHIV. Materials and Methods: The nutrition care model has been developed for undertaking nutritional assessment by classifying the severity of undernutrition based on body mass index (BMI) and identification of early signs of undernutrition including anemia and hypoalbuminemia among ALHIV. Results and Conclusion: The model suggests energy and protein intake based on the BMI and indicates desirable body weight corresponding to a BMI of 21 kg/m2. Based on these requirements, the portion size of each major food group is provided for individualized dietary counseling by frontline workers. ALHIV found with signs and symptoms of anemia, low hemoglobin, and serum albumin are referred to the nearest health facility. Large-scale operational research and field validation studies are planned to better understand the effectiveness of the model in improving the nutritional and clinical outcomes and the strengths and limitations as an operational tool in programmatic settings.

The value of integrating the nutritional ecology into the nutrition care continuum – a conceptual and systems approach

The value of integrating the nutritional ecology into the nutrition care continuum – a conceptual and systems approach

Conceptual Diagrams Help Dietetic Students to Understand and Apply the Nutrition Care Process

Aim: To evaluate the impact of a conceptual diagram assessment task on dietetic student knowledge of and confidence applying the Nutrition Care Process. Methods: Situated within a pragmatic research paradigm, this mixed methods study applied a survey administered before and after a conceptual diagram assessment task using the Nutrition Care Process to explore changes in student knowledge, self-reported confidence, perceptions towards the Nutrition Care Process, and student experience. Nineteen students enrolled in a first-semester unit within a Master level dietetic course completed the assessment task, which visually presented a client case sourced from the student-run clinic within the Nutrition Care Process framework, as an adjunct to traditional teaching. Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test determined changes in knowledge and the McNemar test determined changes in self-reported confidence and perspective. Open-ended responses were thematically analyzed. Results:Knowledge scores (maximum of 10) significantly increased following participation in the assessment task (before 5.63 ± 1.67, after 8.36 ± 1.16, P Conclusions: Using conceptual diagrams alongside client cases is a novel and effective education tool to help dietetic students understand and apply the Nutrition Care Process as part of a system of assessment.

Professionals’ perception on nutritional care of adult patients in comprehensive specialized hospitals of East Wollega Zone, Ethiopia

BackgroundAdult patients suffering from malnutrition in hospitals are often overlooked, especially in low-income countries. Health care professionals play a vital role in identifying and managing the nutritional needs of patients. However, their perception regarding the nutritional care of adult patients have not been thoroughly examined.ObjectiveExplore the perceptions of health care professionals on nutritional care and perceived barriers in providing nutritional care for adult patients.MethodsA phenomenological qualitative study was conducted, consisting of twenty-two in-depth interviews with purposefully selected health care professionals at comprehensive specialized hospitals from March to May 2024. The interviews were audio-recorded, and field notes were taken. The data were transcribed verbatim and translated into English. A thematic analysis was used to analyze the data.ResultsTwo main themes and eight sub-themes were generated. The first theme was Health care professionals’ (HCPs) gaps which include: limited scope in providing nutritional care, not recognizing nutritional care as a routine care, healthcare professionals (HCPs) role on nutrition care and limited knowledge regarding nutritional care. The second theme was challenges and barriers to providing nutritional care which includes: prioritization, lack of emphasis in the health care system, missing collaboration between professionals, and lack of resources allocated to nutritional service.ConclusionRespondents assume that malnutrition may not occur in adult patients; they consider it not to be a problem for adult patients. Providing adequate in-service training to healthcare providers, allocating resources, and considering malnutrition in adult patients as one of the main issues to be integrated in nutritional care as a part of daily treatment are vital.

Reporting completeness and methodological quality of guidelines for nutritional care of critically ill patients: A meta-research utilizing Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in HealTh Care (RIGHT) and Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation (AGREE II).

Studies have demonstrated that the quality and transparency of reporting Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) in healthcare are low. This meta-research aimed to evaluate the adherence of nutrition CPGs for critically ill adults to the reporting RIGHT checklist and its association with the methodological quality assessed by AGREE II, along with other potential publication-related factors. A systematic search for CPGs until December 2024 was conducted. RIGHT and AGREE II were applied. Reporting completeness score was created using the data from the evaluations of whether each broken-down item of the RIGHT. Eleven CPGs were identified, none demonstrated adherence greater than 60% to the RIGHT checklist, and the mean of RIGHT score was 33.5±15.5%. There was a strong correlation between the RIGHT score and AGREE II (r=0.886). A development CPGs team including methodologist and/or statistician was associated with a higher RIGHT score (48.9±4.5 versus 27.2±11.0) and it was higher in CPGs recommended or recommended with modifications by AGREE II in comparison to those not recommended (50.1±4.6 versus 37.7±8.1 versus 17.0±6.8), and in those with acceptable and moderate compared to those with low methodological quality (50.1±4.6 versus 32.2±14.5 versus 19.3±6.2). It was also related to the language of publication, being higher in those published in English. The reporting completeness in CPGs for critically ill adults was low, with a strong correlation with the methodological quality. High values of reporting completeness scores were observed between CPGs recommended by AGREE II (with moderate or acceptable quality) and in those including a methodologist/statistician in the development team.

Cost-Effectiveness of Four Improved and Enriched Local Infant Flours from Chad in the Nutritional Care of Moderately Malnourished Children Aged 6 to 59 Months Admitted to the Nutrition Unit of Notre Dame of Apostles Hospital at N’Djamena

The aim of this study was to assess cost-effectiveness of four improved and enriched infant flours. The study was carried out at the Supplementary Nutrition Unit (UNS) of the Notre Dame of Apostles Hospital (HNDA) at N’Djamena. The results of the study, which included 416 children, showed that moderately malnourished children on experimental flours with dried Moringa oleifera leaf powder took a maximum of three weeks to recover from malnutrition. The Pennisetum typhoïdes flour with Moringa gave the best results, with 96% of children recovering after an average duration of recovery of 17.5 days. Children on red sorghum flour from Bongor without Moringa (SRBSM) showed the highest daily weight gain in the study, at 8 g/kg-body weight per day. The same flour, SRB, with Moringa showed the highest hemoglobin gain of 13.5 g/dl. Children on maize flour without Moringa took the longest to recover in the study, an average of 32.7 days. To conclude, in in accordance with our results, from a cost-effectiveness point of view, flours of Pennisetum typhoïdes and red sorghum flours with Moringa leaf powder showed the best results of the study. They are likely to help improve health and reduce the prevalence of malnutrition, which is currently recurrent among a large proportion of Chadian

P-544. Whole Food Plant-Based Diet for HIV-Associated Reduction in Cardiovascular Risk: A Pilot Randomized Clinical Trial (PLANT-HART)

Abstract Background Globally, 39 million people are affected by HIV, most of whom are on antiretroviral therapy (ART), which increases cardiovascular risks. Guidelines lack specific dietary recommendations for this population, though plant-based diets may reduce these risks. This pilot study (NCT05796882), to our knowledge, is the first to explore the effects of a plant-based diet on cardiovascular risk in HIV-positive individuals.Table 1.Differences in variables for both groups combined and their statistical significance. Paired sample analysis. Methods This randomized controlled pilot clinical trial, conducted in Mexico, involved HIV-positive adults on stable ART, aged 30-60, with a body mass index &amp;gt; 25 and ≥ 1 cardiovascular risk factor. Exclusion criteria included: acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, major cardiovascular events, substance abuse, and ART non-adherence. Of 150 invited, 21 consented and 10 completed the 8-week intervention. Outcomes were analyzed using non-parametric tests (Wilcoxon Sign-rank and Mann-Whitney U). The ethics committee approved; all participants provided informed consent. Results Ten male participants (mean age 40.3 ± 8.2) were divided into a plant-based diet (PBD, n=4) and a nutritional standard care (NSC, n=6) group. After 8 weeks, reductions in cardiovascular risk were observed; the NSC group experienced a -0.9% in Framingham Hard Coronary Risk (p=0.2) and the PBD group a -0.1% (p=0.1). Blood pressure decreased significantly in both groups: systolic blood pressure decreased by 15.2 mmHg (p=0.01) and diastolic blood pressure by -7.3 mmHg (p=0.02) (Table 1). The PBD group also showed reductions in weight (-700g, p=0.7), body fat percentage (-0.9%, p=1.0), tricipital fold (-3mm, p=0.06), total cholesterol (-32.0 mg/dL, p=0.1) and LDL cholesterol (-39.7 mg/dL, p=0.2), though not statistically significant. Conclusion This pilot study suggests that a plant-based diet may reduce cardiovascular risks in HIV-positive individuals. Both groups were significant for reducing systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The plant-based diet can potentially be beneficial for weight and cholesterol management. Despite a small sample size and adherence challenges, regular follow-ups and dietary self-reports enhanced compliance, underscoring the need for larger, comprehensive studies to confirm these findings. Disclosures All Authors: No reported disclosures

Digital Motherhood in the Postpartum Period: A Descriptive Study.

During the first 6 weeks after birth, women often encounter problems and seek answers to their questions. This period is also crucial in terms of technology use. The aim of this study was to examine the digital motherhood approach to self-care and infant care in the 6-week postpartum period, and its association with different variables. This descriptive study recruited 278 women in the postpartum period. Data were collected from the Digital Motherhood Survey. Descriptive statistics and chi-squared analysis were performed. The mean age of the women was 28.9 ± 5.14 years; 50.4% had a high school education or less, and 49.6% had a university education or higher. The types of digital media consulted included institutional sites, blogs, and commercial sites. The three topics most frequently researched by women in the postpartum period using digital media were breastfeeding, infant nutrition, and general infant care. The top three reasons given by participants for preferring digital media were faster access to information, access to information from their own setting, and benefiting from the experiences of others. The following factors were significantly associated with digital media being a participant's first-choice information source: the woman and her partner having a university education or above, having a male infant, having received information about infant care, and having a postpartum hospital stay duration of 0-2 days. This study defined postpartum digital motherhood. The preference of women for digital media is influenced by their educational status and that of their partners, the sex of the infant, their prior knowledge of infant care, and the early discharge of their infants after birth. Healthcare professionals, especially nurses, must be aware of the digital media used by postpartum women to supervise them and provide guidance.

Adaptation of the nutrition care process for metabolic diseases in the Mexican population

BackgroundThe Nutrition Care Process (NCP) is a systematic framework designed to enhance the quality of nutrition care. Given the high prevalence of metabolic diseases in Mexican population, there is a critical need for tailored nutrition care strategies.ObjectiveWe aim to describe the adaptation of the NCP to manage metabolic diseases in Mexican individuals.MethodsOur adaptation included a comprehensive literature review of clinical nutrition guidelines, by a structured consultation with experts to ensure clinical setting-specific and culturally appropriate modifications. A team of registered dietitians from two tier 3 hospitals, each with over five years of experience in metabolic disease management, customized the NCP’s four core steps—assessment, diagnosis, intervention, and monitoring—to meet the specific needs of the Mexican population.ResultsWe adapted the NCP to manage five common metabolic disorders: obesity, type 2 diabetes, kidney disease, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease, and dyslipidemia. Each step of the NCP was complemented by the development of educational materials designed to (1) enhance awareness of disease risk, (2) broaden their knowledge of nutritional management, and (3) provide tailored strategies for developing personalized action plans. The adapted NCP was implemented in clinical and research settings and the materials were documented as an online publication to facilitate widespread dissemination.ConclusionOur adaptation represents a significant advancement in the use of structured tools for nutrition care in Mexican populations, who face disproportionately high rates of metabolic diseases. Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of this approach in clinical settings.

How to educate patients and caregivers on end-of-life nutrition care and support.

There are numerous articles, book chapters, and published guidelines on the topic of clinical ethics in the use of artificially administered nutrition and hydration, which often incorporates end-of-life (EOL) nutrition care and support. Components of clinical ethics involve the importance of ethical principles, patient-centered care, and shared decision-making. However, there is sparse information on how to educate patients and caregivers on this subject. Initially, PubMed and the Cochrane Library were used to find articles on the subject. Articles were reviewed and new concepts were identified to include. There is a practice gap with not applying clinical ethics in practice. The application of clinical ethics, which includes the teach-back method of education, soft skills and behavioral skills training, and potential sacred moments, is not well addressed in the literature. Demonstration of the process of incorporating clinical ethics into practice is beneficial in helping educate clinicians so they can then effectively educate the patient and caregiver on EOL nutrition care and support. Reasons for not applying clinical ethics in actual clinical practice may be because of clinicians not receiving training, the lack of opportunity to observe the technique applied in actual clinical practice, or possibly concern for the presumed additional time required in clinical practice to apply clinical ethics. Educating patients and caregivers on EOL nutrition care and support presupposes engaging, educating, and empowering clinicians about clinical ethics by demonstrating the process and encouraging educators to incorporate the information in an interdisciplinary/interprofessional curriculum.

Evaluation of an updated educational intervention on nutritional care to prevent undernutrition among older adults in primary health care.

The aim of this study was to evaluate district nurses' perceived and factual knowledge about nutritional care after an updated and expanded educational intervention. Furthermore, we aimed to compare the outcomes of the revised and the original educational intervention. In-depth knowledge of nutritional care is a prerequisite to supporting older adults' well-being and health. District nurses' actual knowledge of the nutrition care process, older adults' need for food, and palliative care in diverse phases of disease is therefore of utmost importance. An updated and expanded educational intervention meeting these needs was evaluated. A study-specific questionnaire about nutritional care was used before and after the educational intervention. Participants (n = 118) were district nurses working in primary health care in Region Stockholm. Additionally, a pre- and post-test quasi-experimental design was used to assess differences in learning outcomes of the revised intervention compared with the original intervention. District nurses who completed the questionnaire had worked in health care for about 18 years and as district nurses for 5 years after their specialist examination. After the revised educational intervention, significant improvements were found in all statements concerning perceived challenges and actions related to nutritional care, while questions about factual knowledge showed significant improvements in three of the four questions.Comparison between the revised and the original intervention revealed no differences in most areas of perceived challenges and actions related to nutritional care. Additionally, in half of the areas assessed, factual knowledge improved more after the revision than after the original educational intervention, including the maximum length of overnight fast and the type of oral nutritional supplements (ONS) that should be prescribed. The intervention was successful in increasing knowledge about nutritional care, nutritional counselling, food adaptation, and prescribing ONS in an individually tailored way. In-depth knowledge supports usability in clinical practice. Nevertheless, we need to follow-up and understand how increased knowledge about undernutrition and ONS prescription are implemented in primary health care when caring for older adults' desires and needs.

Organization of nutritional care.

The increasingly complex health care systems, the large and diverse population to whom nutritional therapy is addressed, and the need of specialized health care professionals implies an organizational strategy to be defined. The organization of nutritional care is a fundamental strategy to promote an optimal, quality and safety nutritional therapy. This is why, the organization of nutritional care should be based on 4 principles, including: Nutritional care should be considered as a process, a multidisciplinary approach is essential to a good nutritional care, the economic approach and the patient centered approach are essential to the organization of nutritional care. In this paper we will address the organization of nutritional care and its 4 principles.

Navigating next-gen nutrition care using artificial intelligence-assisted dietary assessment tools—a scoping review of potential applications

Navigating next-gen nutrition care using artificial intelligence-assisted dietary assessment tools—a scoping review of potential applications

Prevalence of Malnutrition in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease at the Guayaquil Naval Hospital, 2017-2020

Objective: To determine the prevalence of malnutrition in patients with CKD not requiring dialysis treatment at the Hospital Naval de Guayaquil (HOSNAG) during the period January 2017 to December 2020. Theoretical Framework: The research focuses on the prevalence and factors associated with malnutrition in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) who do not yet require dialysis. It is based on the premise that malnutrition is a common problem in patients with CKD, despite recommendations for low-protein diets. The research aims to explore whether the VGS, a subjective nutritional assessment tool, is useful to identify these malnourished patients and whether BMI can be a predictor of malnutrition in this population. Methods: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional, retrospective, prevalence-type study. Malnutrition was considered as two definitions: a BMI &lt;20; a GSV B/C. Results and Discussion: 205 cases were recovered, with a median age of 64 years, being 95 (46.3%) female. There were 12/205 (5.9%) cases which presented a BMI &lt;20, equivalent to malnutrition. Subjective global assessment A, B and C was estimated in 95 (46.3%), 87 (42.4%) and 23 (11.2%), respectively. The prevalence of malnutrition in CKD patients not requiring dialysis treatment at HOSNAG between January/2017 to December/2020 was 5.9% (95% CI 3.3 - 10%) estimated using a BMI &lt;20, and 53.6% (95% CI 46.8 - 60%) using a B/C VGS. BMI is not a useful marker in the prediction of malnutrition in patients with CKD not requiring dialysis treatment, according to the VGS. Research implications: By more accurately identifying malnourished patients and the factors associated with this condition, more effective nutritional strategies can be implemented to improve their quality of life and survival. In addition, the results of this study can serve as a basis for the development of public policies and health education programs that promote better nutritional care for these patients. Originality/value: This research presents a remarkable originality by focusing on a segment of the chronic kidney disease (CKD) population that has been less explored in previous studies: those patients who do not yet require dialysis.

Advancing Nutritional Care Through Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis in Critical Patients

Nutritional support in critically ill patients has been acknowledged as a pillar of ICU care, playing a pivotal role in preserving muscle mass, supporting immune function, and promoting recovery during and after critical illness. Providing effective nutritional support requires adapting it to the patient’s diagnosis, unique characteristics, and metabolic state to minimize the risks of overfeeding or underfeeding while mitigating muscle loss. This level of care requires a comprehensive nutritional assessment and the establishment of a nutrition-focused protocol. Regular, consistent and detailed nutritional evaluation can influence both therapeutic decisions and clinical interventions, thus ensuring that the specific needs of critically ill patients are met from the acute phase through their entire recovery process. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) is increasingly recognized as a valuable tool for enhancing nutritional care in critically ill patients. By delivering precise, real-time insights into key aspects of body composition, BIA is thought to provide clinicians with a more comprehensive understanding of the complex physiological changes that occur during critical illness. This narrative review highlights the potential of BIA in offering these precise assessments, facilitating the development of more accurate and personalized nutritional strategies for critically ill patients. If BIA can reliably assess dynamic shifts in hydration and tissue integrity, it holds the promise of further advancing individualized care and optimizing clinical outcomes in this vulnerable population.