Inadequate Nutritional Support Research Articles

Prognostic utility of adequate nutritional support in critically ill surgical patients as revealed by the modified nutrition risk in critically ill score

BackgroundThe modified Nutrition Risk in the Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score was developed to identify patients most likely to benefit from nutritional therapies and to stratify or select subjects for clinical trials. However, the validity of the score and the association between that score and the prognosis of patients in surgical intensive care units (SICUs) remain unclear. This study explored whether the score was a useful prognostic indicator for SICU patients, and whether survival could be improved via nutritional interventions based on mNUTRIC status. MethodsThis retrospective observational study enrolled 123 patients admitted to our SICU for critical care from January 2018 to December 2019. Among these, mNUTRIC medical data were available for 116. In-hospital mortality rates were compared based on both mNUTRIC status and the adequacy of nutritional supplementation. ResultsmNUTRIC-high status (5 points or more) was apparent in 16 ​% of all critically ill surgical patients. In-hospital mortality was significantly higher in those with mNUTRIC-high scores (42.1 ​% vs. 15.5 ​%, P ​= ​0.023). Both groups exhibited less mortality when nutrition was adequate vs. inadequate (5.0 ​% vs. 40.9 ​% and 26.7 ​% vs. 100 ​%, respectively). In multivariate analysis, mNUTRIC-high scores and inadequate nutritional support were significant risk factors for in-hospital mortality (hazard ratios 7.336 and 13.636, P ​= ​0.027 and 0.002, respectively). ConclusionIn critically ill surgical patients, those identified as nutritionally high-risk using the mNUTRIC classification had poor in-hospital survival. Moreover, patients who received adequate nutritional support had a better prognosis than those who did not.

Individualised nutritional treatment increases the positive effects of a novel á la carte hospital food service concept: Results of a quasi-experimental study

One-third of hospitalised patients are at nutritional risk, and limited choice regarding meals and meal times, and inadequate nutritional support may contribute to inadequate nutritional intake during hospitalisation. The aim was to test the effect of a novel á la carte hospital food service concept as a stand-alone intervention and combined with individualised nutritional treatment. Medical inpatients at nutritional risk were recruited for this three-arm quasi-experimental study. The control group received meals from the traditional bulk trolley food service system. Intervention group 1 (IG1) received meals from a novel á la carte food service concept with an electronic ordering system, whereas intervention group 2 (IG2) in addition to this received individualised nutritional treatment by a clinical dietitian. Nutritional intake and length of stay was measured, and patient satisfaction was assessed with purpose-designed questionnaires. 206 patients were included: 67 in the control group, 68 in IG1, and 71 in IG2. The proportion of participants reaching ≥75% of both their energy and protein requirement was higher in IG1 compared to the control group (34% vs. 12%, p=0.002) and higher in IG2 compared to IG1 (53% vs. 34%, p=0.035). Length of stay was shorter in IG2 compared to the control group (6.0 vs. 8.7 days, p=0.005). It was important to participants to be able to choose when and what to eat, and this preference was met to a larger extent in the intervention groups. The novel á la carte concept increases energy and protein intake in hospitalised patients, and the positive effects are increased, when the concept is used in combination with individualised nutritional treatment.

The role and relevance of nutritional diagnosis in pediatric oncology

In the Russian Federation the incidence of cancer remains high. Depending on the nosology of the tumor, the probability of malnutrition during primary hospitalization may be 10-50%, and during treatment it may reach 100%. Undernutrition and obesity are independent factors of poor prognosis, reducing the overall effectiveness of treatment. At the same time, the diagnosis of nutritional status (NS) in pediatric oncology is not clearly regulated, which, in the presence of a large number of factors affecting the functioning of the digestive, nervous, endocrine and other systems, creates prerequisites for untimely recognition of nutritional disorders and, accordingly, inadequate nutritional support. Taking into account the mentioned tendencies above it is of great value to establish the foundations for recommendations on the assessment of NS and for making nutritional diagnosis in pediatric oncology. In order to highlight and resolve this challenge the interpretation of clinical aspects, advantages and disadvantages of existing screening scales for NS assessing, anthropometric indicators, methods for body composition evaluation, eating disorders classification according to the World Health Organization, the International Classification of Diseases 10 revision and specialized medical associations was carried out. Based on modern convictions regarding the pathogenesis of protein-energy malnutrition and cachexia, side effects and complications of antitumor treatment, available tools for assessing NS, their systematization, a unified nutritional diagnosis structure was formed. It includes: NS screening, nutritional history, anthropometry dynamics, evaluation of the gastrointestinal tract state and the presence of metabolic disorders, alimentation level, determination of nutritional risk factors. NS is a complex indicator and its reflection can be a nutritional diagnosis, which will potentially allow determining the current NS state, predicting the risks of malnutrition developing, implementing rational nutritional support, and thus improving the effectiveness of cancer treatment.

Protein supplementation versus standard feeds in underweight critically ill children: a pilot dual-centre randomised controlled trial protocol

IntroductionProtein–energy malnutrition, increased catabolism and inadequate nutritional support leads to loss of lean body mass with muscle wasting and delayed recovery in critical illness. However, there remains clinical equipoise regarding...

Awareness of Cancer-Related Malnutrition and Its Management: Analysis of the Results From a Survey Conducted Among Medical Oncologists.

Cancer is a global major public health problem, particularly in Western countries, where it represents the second leading cause of death after cardiovascular disease. Malnutrition is common in cancer patients and differs from starvation-related malnutrition, as it results from a combination of anorexia and metabolic dysregulation, caused by the tumor itself or by its treatment, and causing cachexia. Cancer-associated malnutrition can lead to several negative consequences, including poor prognosis, reduced survival, increased therapy toxicity, reduced tolerance and compliance to treatments, and diminished response to antineoplastic drugs. Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Health in 2017, the most recent ESPEN guidelines and the PreMiO study highlighted an inadequate nutritional support in cancer patients since their first visit, and recommended an optimization of the quality of life of cancer patients in each stage of the disease, also through specific nutritional interventions by multidisciplinary teams. Based on the evidences summarized above, a survey has been carried out on a sample of 300 Italian hospital medical oncologists to evaluate their level of awareness and perception of cancer-related malnutrition and their proposals to implement effective strategies to improve nutritional care in the setting of hospital oncology departments in Italy. The survey results indicate that, despite high levels of awareness among Italian oncologists, malnutrition in cancer patients remains, at least in part, an unmet medical need, and additional efforts are necessary in terms of increased training and hiring of personnel, and of creation of organizational pathways aimed at treatment optimization based on available evidences.

26 Clogged Feeding Tubes: Why Does It Matter?

Abstract Introduction Many patients treated on a burn unit require tube feeding as their primary caloric source or as supplemental feeding due to their injuries. Burn patients specifically require higher caloric intake due to the hypermetabolic state of burn injuries. Inadequate nutritional support contributes to longer ICU stays and higher mortality. Clogged feeding tubes reduce nutrition provided due to temporary discontinuation of feeding. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for the incidence of tube clogging. Methods This was a single-center retrospective chart review of all patients admitted to an American Burn Association-verified Burn Unit between August 2017 and October 2019 who received tube feeds during their admission. Data collected included baseline demographics, clinical outcomes, and details about tube feed formulations, number of clogs, and details leading up to the clog. Baseline demographics were compared using descriptive statistics. Nominal data was compared using Chi-square test. Continuous data was analyzed using student’s t-test or Mann-Whitney U test. Results A total of 170 patients were included; admission diagnoses included burn (97), soft tissue infections (29), SJS/TEN (11), and others (33). At least one clogged feeding tube was experienced by 51 patients and some experienced up to seven separate clogs. SJS/TEN patients were less likely to experience a clog (9.2 vs 0%, p = 0.035) and frostbite patients were more likely to experience a clog (0 vs 5.9%, p = 0.026). Burn mechanism did not affect incidence of tube feed clog, but patients with larger total body surface area (TBSA) burned were more likely to have a clog (15.55 vs 25.03%, p = 0.004). It was a median of 12 days until the first clog occurred (IQR 7.8–17.3). Two tube feed formulas demonstrated an increased likelihood of clog: a renal formulation (16.8 vs 33.3%, p = 0.017) and a polymeric concentrated product (5.0 vs 17.6%, p = 0.008). Both products have a high viscosity. Patients who experienced a clog had a longer length of stay (21.5 vs 44.0 days, p = 0.001). Conclusions This study identified several risk factors associated with higher incidence of clogged feeding tube in the burn unit including tube feed formulation and viscosity, admission diagnosis, and larger TBSA in burn patients. This study also confirms that clogged feeding tubes, and the resultant insufficient nutritional support, may contribute to an increased length of stay.

Resting energy expenditure in cancer patients: Agreement between predictive equations and indirect calorimetry

Disorders of energy metabolism is a common phenomenon in cancer patients. Changes in resting energy expenditure (REE) combined with inadequate nutrition support appear to be causes of nutritional depletion in cancer patients. In clinical practice, REE is typically calculated using predictive equations. The aim of this study was to determine the agreement between REE estimated by predictive equations and REE measured by IC in Portuguese cancer patients. Differences in measured REE between patients with different types of digestive cancers were also assessed. REE was measured by indirect calorimetry (IC) in 61 patients with cancer diagnosis (gastric cancer, cholangiocarcinoma, pancreatic cancer, liver cancer and colorectal cancer). Measured REE values were compared with those estimated by equations of Harris-Benedict, Schofield, Ireton-Jones, Mifflin-St.Jeor and Barcellos I and II. Mean Respiratory Quotient (RQ) was 0.77±0.09, which indicates high lipids utilization as substrate. No statistically significant differences between REE or RQ from patients with different cancer types were observed. All equations underestimate REE: Harris-Benedict, mean difference-648 kcal (limits of agreement+627 to-1923 kcal); MifflinSt.Jeor, mean difference-694 kcal (limits of agreement+544 to-193 kcal); Schofield, mean difference-531 kcal (limits of agreement+662 to-1723 kcal); and Ireton-Jones, mean difference-556 kcal (limits of agreement+774 to-1887 kcal). Barcellos I and II showed lower mean difference when compared to measured REE,+59 and+52kcal, respectively, although presenting wide limits of agreement,+1542 to-1424 kcal and+1429 to-1326, respectively. Although Barcellos Equations underestimate less and enable more accurate average REE prediction in cancer patients, still present wide limits of agreement and therefore clinically important differences in REE estimation may be found at individual level. Our results support the appropriateness of measuring REE by IC to better adequate the nutrition support to cancer patients. Further research is needed to improve the current knowledge base of energy expenditure in cancer patients, and to improve the accuracy of existing predictive equations.

Nutrition deficit during intensive care stay: incidence, predisposing factors and outcomes.

Adequate nutrition support during intensive care has several benefits including lower amount of infectious complications, improved wound healing, shorter length of stay (LOS) and decreased morbidity. The aim of the present study was to survey the adequacy of nutrition throughout Intensive Care Unit (ICU) stay and to examine various factors associated to cumulative nutrition inadequacy during ICU stay. The study was a retrospective single center cohort study. The study population consisted of 1771 ICU adult (≥18 years) patients with emergency admission to ICU who had LOS between three and 40 days. Nutrition adequacy and factors associated to inadequate nutrition support during ICU stay were analyzed. Factors related to impaired energy balance were prescribed energy less than 25kcal/kg (OR 11.794 (9.017-15.427), P<0.001) and higher median CRP (OR 1.003 (1.001-1.004), P<0.001). Factors related to improved energy balance were length of stay (OR 0.975 (0.953-0.997), P=0.024), more than 30% Bolus enteral nutrition days (OR 0.314 (0.187-0.526), P<0.001) and Enteral/Parenteral -Ratio (OR 0.970 (0.953-0.987), P=0.001). The majority of ICU patients did not reach 60% of nutrition adequacy. Nutrition inadequacy was a common finding throughout the study population. Nutrition inadequacy might be partially avoidable since adequacy less than 60% was related to underprescription and failure to administer the prescribed nutrition. Bolus enteral nutrition might be an efficient method to deliver energy in ICU setting.

Primum non nocere. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic course in oldest.

Dramatic outcomes of Covid-19 pandemia in Italy, in particular in the North, must be discussed. Maybe a bad strategy and lack of timely intervention togheter with concurrent social events, comorbidities of oldest persons, bed rest, inadequate nutritional support and drugs’ side effects and infection of health professionals proved fatal for many. (www.actabiomedica.it)

Improving Growth Velocity in Very Low Birth Weight Infants: a Quality Improvement Project

Background: Inadequate nutritional support in very low birth weight (VLBW) infants results in growth failure and poor neurodevelopmental outcomes. Early optimization of nutrition, especially protein intake, is an important strategy to achieve normal postnatal growth. Most infants postnatally demonstrate weight loss, do not sustain normal intrauterine growth rates once growth resumes, and do not achieve normal growth by term gestation. Identified reasons include: delays in achieving adequate nutrition, inadequate protein intake, late initiation of enteral feedings, use of unfortified human milk, and variability in practices between providers. To improve growth …

The results of nasopharyngeal cancer patients treated by simultaneous integrated boost technique and concomitant chemotherapy

Background/aim To assess the efficacy and side effects of concurrent weekly chemotherapy and radiotherapy with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) technique for nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC). Materials and methods A total of 51 consecutive patients with diagnosis of NPC were treated between February 2010 and December 2015. The median dose for PTV70 (range: 60–82) was given in 33 fractions (range: 31–35). Forty-five of the patients received concomitant weekly chemotherapy between 3–7 cycles (median 6). Eleven patients received neoadjuvant and thirty-nine patients received adjuvant chemotherapy. ResultsAt a median follow-up 43 months (range: 2–76) the estimated 5-year overall survival and disease-free survival were 74.6% and 62.6%, respectively. ConclusionIn radiotherapy of advanced NPC, generally a considerable amount of normal head and neck tissues might have to be irradiated in addition to gross tumor volume, involved node, and elective neck irradiation. Together with chemoradiotherapy, poor oral hygiene and inadequate nutritional support result in excessive morbidity. Despite loco-regional success of concurrent chemoradiotherapy, distant metastasis is still the major pattern of treatment failure in the intensity modulated radiotherapy era. We need to improve our adjuvant chemotherapy regimens or develop new drugs.

Glucosamine chronic treatment differently modulates uterine artery from pregnant and virgin Wistar rats

BackgroundO‐linked β‐N‐acetylglucosamine (O‐GlcNAc) is a post‐translational modification that modulates several proteins related to the vascular tone control. Dysregulation of O‐GlcNAcylation occurs in a wide range of diseases, favoring endothelial dysfunction. During pregnancy, vascular dysfunction observed in the uterine vasculature results in inadequate nutritional support between the maternal‐fetal interface. It remains to be elucidated whether augmented O‐GlcNAc levels impact uterine artery (UA) function from virgin or pregnant rats.HypothesisIncreased O‐GlcNAc impairs the endothelial function of the uterine artery.MethodsPregnant or virgin Wistar rats (14‐week old) were treated either with glucosamine (300 mg/Kg) or vehicle, for 21 days, i.p. The UAs were rapidly removed, cleaned from fat tissue and mounted for isometric force development record. Concentration response‐curves to acetylcholine (1 nM to 100 μM) were performed in UA contracted with phenylephrine (10 μM), in the presence or absence of L‐NAME (100 μM, 30 minutes). Protein expression was evaluated by western blot.ResultsGlucosamine treatment increased O‐GlcNAc expression in UAs from virgin rats (p= 0.04). Decreased endothelium‐dependent relaxation was observed in UAs from treated virgin rats compared to vehicle [Emax 56.16 ± 4.18 vs. 76.38 ± 3.92%, respectively], which was abolished by incubation with L‐NAME. Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity was decreased (p=0.04) by glucosamine‐treatment in virgin rats. On the other hand, in pregnancy, treatment with glucosamine decreased O‐GlcNAc expression (p=0.03) in UAs compared to vehicle. Increased sensitivity to acetylcholine [pD2 6.43 ± 0.13 vs. 6.90 ± 0.11] was observed in the UAs of glucosamine‐treated pregnant rats compared to vehicle pregnant rats with no differences in the maximal response. eNOS activity was unchanged between these groups.ConclusionsGlucosamine‐treatment impairs UA endothelial function in virgin, but not in pregnant rats.Support or Funding InformationCAPESFAPEGNIH (HL‐134604)This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Refeeding syndrome relevance for critically ill patients

Abstract Refeeding Syndrome (RFS) is a potential life-threatening complication of the nutritional therapy in the replenishment phase after period of starvation. This not very known syndrome may be a life-threatening metabolic condition due to rapid, inadequate nutritional support in malnourished catabolic patients. The intake of food and therefore the switch from a catabolic to an anabolic metabolism is most considered etiological mechanism. The main biochemical feature of RFS is hypophosphatemia and low levels of potassium and magnesium. Lack of vitamins, especially vitamin B1 or thiamine is often present and involves severe clinical complications.

Tolerability and safety of early enteral nutrition in children after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement: A multicentre randomised controlled trial

We assessed the tolerability and safety of implementing early enteral nutrition in children at 3h after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) placement to establish an optimum feeding mode in paediatric patients that reduced the fasting period, the inadequate nutritional support interval, and the hospitalisation time. Children with clinical indications for PEG placement were recruited from six medical centres in Poland to participate in the study. The patients were centrally randomised to receive the first bolus feed, which comprised a polymeric diet (1kcal/mL), via a feeding tube at 3h (group 1) or 8h (group 2) after PEG placement. The pre-procedural preparation, the post-operative care, and the resumption of feeding were performed on all of the patients in accordance with the study's protocol. The primary endpoint was the number of patients who consumed a full feed, which contained their total fluid and caloric requirements, within 48h of the first bolus feed. The secondary endpoints were the number of complications and the duration of hospitalisation after PEG placement. Of the 97 randomised patients, 49 were assigned to group 1 and 48 were assigned to group 2. There were no differences between the groups regarding feeding tolerability (81.6% vs. 91.6%), the number of complications (25.5% vs. 37.5%), or the duration of hospitalisation after PEG placement (p>0.05). Full feed post PEG placement was achieved within 24-48h in most cases (74% vs. 82%). Most of the complications were mild. Two patients in group 2 due to dislocation of the PEG were qualified for laparotomy (at 6 days post-PEG placement in one case and at 14 days post-PEG placement in the other case). One patient in group 2 died at 7 days post-PEG placement; the death was unrelated to the investigation. Introducing feeding at 3h post-PEG placement in children appears to be well tolerated. The early initiation of post-PEG feeding was not associated with an increase in the number of complications and it had no impact on the duration of hospitalisation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY: www.clinicaltrials.gov (NCT02777541; registration date: 18/05/2016).

An observational study of perioperative nutrition and postoperative outcomes in patients undergoing laparotomy at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi.

Nutritional status in patients undergoing surgery can influence their immune function, tissue repair and, hence, clinical outcomes. This study aimed to assess the perioperative nutrition and postoperative outcome of patients undergoing laparotomy at a tertiary hospital in Malawi. A total of 25 patients were included in this prospective, observational study. The Subjective Global Assessment was used to classify each patient according to nutritional status. Handgrip strength was measured for each patient preoperatively and at day 3 postoperatively. Anthropometric measurements were also done. Protein and energy requirements for each participant were estimated and compared to the quantities provided by the hospital diet. Patients were followed up until discharge and outcome variables which included length of hospital stay and wound dehiscence or infectious complications were recorded. Of the study participants, 20% were well-nourished, 52% were moderately malnourished and 28% were severely malnourished. The median handgrip strength decreased at day 3 postoperatively from the preoperative handgrip strength. Well-nourished patients had higher handgrip strength than malnourished patients both preoperatively and postoperatively. Total energy and protein provided by the hospital diet were significantly lower than the estimated requirements for the patients. Severely malnourished patients had increased median length of hospital stay and increased rate of postoperative complications. Preoperative and postoperative day 3 handgrip strength correlated negatively with the number of postoperative complications and length of hospital stay. This study showed high rates of malnutrition and inadequate in-hospital nutritional support which were associated with poor clinical outcomes, especially in severely malnourished patients. Proper nutritional assessment and provision of adequate nutritional support should be reinforced in surgical patients to promote favourable clinical outcomes postoperatively. Further studies with larger sample sizes in other patient populations and hospitals in Malawi are required in this area.

Nutrição e Neurocirurgia

As alterações metabólicas e da composição corporal em decorrência da injúria cirúrgica resultam em necessidades nutricionais especiais para pacientes neurocirúrgicos. Estas alterações têm como características a instalação de um estado hipermetabólico e hipercatabólico, observando-se uma redução nas reservas corporais de lipídeos e proteínas, resultando na dificuldade de cicatrização e risco aumentado de infecção. Além disso, com um aporte nutricional inadequado, os pacientes podem evoluir para um estado de desnutrição. Na ausência de diretrizes específicas de como o suporte nutricional deve suceder em traumas neurológicos , verificou-se a importância da realização de um artigo de revisão a respeito do suporte nutricional utilizado em pacientes neurocirúrgicos. A partir da pesquisa realizada no banco de dados MEDLINE (1976 – 2010), observou-se que a estimativa energética é um fator decisivo no prognóstico do paciente, a suplementação de aminoácidos não se mostra necessária e que, além dos exames de rotina, deve-se realizar exames de eletrólitos e osmolalidade urinários e plasmáticos. O suporte nutricional ideal parece ser uma administração conjunta de nutrição enteral e parenteral e, quanto mais precocemente esta alimentação é iniciada, melhores são os desfechos clínicos. Considerando que é de competência do nutricionista a prescrição dietética da nutrição enteral, sua presença é essencial na equipe multiprofissional de suporte nutricional.

Perioperative nutrition and enhanced recovery after surgery in gastrointestinal cancer patients. A position paper by the ESSO task force in collaboration with the ERAS society (ERAS coalition)

Malnutrition in cancer patients – in both prevalence and degree – depends primarily on tumor stage and site. Preoperative malnutrition in surgical patients is a frequent problem and is associated with prolonged hospital stay, a higher rate of postoperative complications, higher re-admission rates, and a higher incidence of postoperative death. Given the focus on the cancer and its cure, nutrition is often neglected or under-evaluated, and this despite the availability of international guidelines for nutritional care in cancer patients and the evidence that nutritional deterioration negatively affects survival. Inadequate nutritional support for cancer patients should be considered ethically unacceptable; prompt nutritional support must be guaranteed to all cancer patients, as it can have many clinical and economic advantages. Patients undergoing multimodal oncological care are at particular risk of progressive nutritional decline, and it is essential to minimize the nutritional/metabolic impact of oncological treatments and to manage each surgical episode within the context of an enhanced recovery pathway. In Europe, enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) and routine nutritional assessment are only partially implemented because of insufficient awareness among health professionals of nutritional problems, a lack of structured collaboration between surgeons and clinical nutrition specialists, old dogmas, and the absence of dedicated resources. Collaboration between opinion leaders dedicated to ERAS from both the European Society of Surgical Oncology (ESSO) and the ERAS Society was born with the aim of promoting nutritional assessment and perioperative nutrition with and without an enhanced recovery program. The goal will be to improve awareness in the surgical oncology community and at institutional level to modify current clinical practice and identify optimal treatment options.

Estimating Catabolism: A Possible Tool for Nutritional Monitoring of Patients With Acute Kidney Injury.

Hypercatabolism has been described as the main nutritional change in acute kidney injury. Catabolism may be defined as the excessive release of amino acids from skeletal muscle. Conditions such as fasting, inadequate nutritional support, renal replacement therapy, metabolic acidosis, and secretion of catabolic hormones are the main factors that affect protein catabolism. Given the imprecision of the methods conventionally used to assess and monitor the nutritional status of hospitalized patients, the parameters of protein catabolism, such as nitrogen balance, urea nitrogen appearance, and protein catabolic rate appear to be the main measures in this population. Considering the high prevalence of malnutrition in this population and important limitations in this clinical condition, such as the inflammatory state and altered fluid, catabolism parameters are accurate and reliable methods that could contribute to minimize adverse prognosis in this population.

The protocol for a randomised-controlled trial of the evaluation of the tolerance and safety of early enteral nutrition in children after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy placement. (protocol version 09.01.2015).

BackgroundThe appropriate time to initiate enteral nutrition after the placement of a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube has been an area of limited research. There are no sufficient randomised prospective controlled trials in the paediatric population comparing the safety and tolerance of early feeding (3 h) after PEG placement. In order to reduce the period of fasting, inadequate nutritional support, and hospitalisation time, we decided to devise this study.Methods/DesignThis study is a multicentre, randomised, open-label trial designed to evaluate the tolerance and safety of early enteral nutrition after PEG placement in children. Patients are randomised to receive the first feeding bolus with a polymeric diet (1 kcal/ml) via a feeding tube 3 h after the PEG placement (group I - early enteral feeding) or 8 h after the procedure (group II - late enteral feeding). The key objective of the study is to compare the tolerance and safety of the early- and late-feeding modes after PEG placement in children. The primary endpoint is the number of patients who will achieve full feed (total fluid and caloric requirements) within 48 h of the first feeding bolus. The secondary endpoints are: the number of early and late complications, the duration of hospitalisation after PEG placement, gastric residuals (ml) total in the period up to 48 h since the first feeding bolus.DiscussionTo our knowledge this is the first study in paediatric patients to evaluate the tolerance and safety of early enteral nutrition after PEG placement. The goal is to establish an optimum standard procedure in the group of paediatric patients qualified for the PEG insertion procedure in Poland.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov ID NCT02777541, registration date 05/18/2016.

Awareness and consideration of malnutrition among oncologists: Insights from an exploratory survey

ObjectivesThe attitude toward malnutrition varies considerably among oncologists and many malnourished cancer patients receive inadequate nutritional support. The aim of this brief report was to report the results of the exploratory national survey conducted by the Italian Society of Medical Oncology (AIOM) and the Italian Society of Artificial Nutrition and Metabolism (SINPE) before publication of a consensus document aimed at evaluating current attitudes toward malnutrition and management of nutrition, among Italian medical oncologists. MethodsBetween January and July 2015, the AIOM and the SINPE conducted a national web-based exploratory survey to investigate the attitude of oncologists toward malnutrition, and the management of nutritional support, before publication of an intersociety consensus document. ResultsOf the 2375 AIOM members, 135 (5.7%) participated in the survey, with a satisfactory distribution across all Italian regions. Nutritional assessment and support were routinely integrated into patient care for 38 (28%) responders. According to 66 (49%) participants, nutritional assessment was carried out only at the patients’ request (n = 62), or not at all (n = 4). Availability of clinical nutritionists was reported by 88 (65%) participants. For 131 responders (97%), nutritional status was decisive (n = 63) or often crucial (n = 68) in assessing whether anticancer treatment was practicable or would be tolerated. ConclusionsThe low response rate may reflect the lack of awareness and consideration of nutritional issues among Italian oncologists. Although malnutrition and nutritional support seemed to be perceived by the responders as relevant factors for the efficacy of oncologic treatments, it seems that nutritional care practices may well be inappropriate. The lack of collaboration between oncologists and clinical nutritionists may be the first obstacle to overcome. Educational intersociety initiatives aimed at improving nutritional support management for cancer patients in Italy appear urgently needed.