Post-intervention Day Research Articles

Lycium barbarum Increases Caloric Expenditure and Decreases Waist Circumference in Healthy Overweight Men and Women: Pilot Study

Background: Lycium barbarum (L. barbarum), a traditional Asian medicinal therapy for diabetes and other conditions, has been shown to increase metabolic rate and to reduce body-weight gains in rodent models, as well as to produce clinical improvements in general feelings of well-being including energy level.Objective: To investigate the impact of L. barbarum consumption on (1) caloric expenditure and (2) changes in morphometric parameters (waist circumference) in healthy human adults.Method: Two separate randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, small clinical studies were conducted using a standardized L. barbarum fruit juice, GoChi, and assessing its effects on (1) resting metabolic rate (RMR) and postprandial energy expenditure (PPEE) as measured by indirect calorimetry after single-bolus intake of 3 doses of L. barbarum (30, 60, and 120 ml) and placebo; and (2) waist circumference and other morphometric changes in a 14-day intervention trial (120-ml daily intake) in the subjects (age = 34 years, body mass index = 29 kg/m2).Results: (1) A single bolus of L. barbarum intake increased PPEE 1 through 4 hours postintake over the baseline level in a dose-dependent manner and was significantly higher than the placebo group by 10% at 1 hour postintake of 120 ml (p < 0.05). (2) In a 14-day intervention trial, L. barbarum was found to significantly decrease waist circumference by 5.5 ± 0.8 cm (n = 15) compared with the preintervention measurements and placebo group at postintervention day 15 (p < 0.01). By contrast, the changes in the placebo group (n = 14) from preinterventions was 0.9 ± 0.8 cm, which was not statistically significant.Conclusions: These results show that L. barbarum consumption increases metabolic rate and reduces the waist circumference, relative to placebo treated control subjects.

A single dose of ceftriaxone administered 30 minutes before percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy significantly reduces local and systemic infective complications

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of antibiotic prophylaxis in percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). METHODS: An open prospective, randomised, multicenter study was conducted in 141 patients; 72 received ceftriaxone 1 g i.v. 30 min preintervention, and 69 received no study medication. A standardized protocol was followed for PEG preparation, insertion, and aftercare; all patients received a 15-Fr gastrostomy tube. Follow-up of local and systemic infection and clinical course was continued to postintervention day 10. An aggregate erythema and exudation score >3 or the presence of pus was taken as indicative of peristomal infection. The pharmacoeconomics of antibiotic use were also examined. RESULTS: In no-prophylaxis patients, wound infection rates were 25% on day 4 and 26.4% on day 10, versus 10.1% ( p = 0.03) and 14.5% ( p = 0.10), respectively, in prophylaxis patients. Results were disproportionally better in tumor patients: systemic infection rates were 16.7% versus 5.8% in no-prophylaxis versus prophylaxis patients ( p = 0.045), and overall infection rates 38.9% versus 17.4%, respectively ( p = 0.046). Pneumonia was more frequent in patients with underlying neurological disease. Antibiotic costs were the same in both groups ( p = 0.792). CONCLUSIONS: Single dose ceftriaxone 1 g is an effective prophylaxis against local and systemic infection after PEG.

Comparison of a Lactose‐Free Cereal‐Based Formula and Cow's Milk in Infants and Children with Acute Gastroenteritis

SummarySixty children &lt; 2 years of age suffering from mild acute gastroenteritis with &lt; 5% dehydration were randomly assigned to two different isocaloric feeding regimens, viz., a locally prepared milk‐free formulation (group A) of rice, lentil, sugar, and coconut oil and a spray dried commercial cow's milk formula (group B). There were two treatment failures in group A and one in group B. The postintervention duration of diarrhea (days) in group A (11.0 ± 10.0) was higher than in group B (7.6 ± 10.8), but these differences were not significant (p &gt; 0.05). The energy intake (kcal/kg/24 h) on postintervention day 4 was 78.7 ± 31.7 in group A and 101.3 ± 41.1 in group B (p &gt; 0.05). The corresponding values for day 7 were 74.2 ± 29.1 and 110.0 ± 41.1, respectively (p &lt; 0.05). The mean weight gain (g/kg/24 h) between admission and the day of recovery in group A (2.0 ± 4.2) was significantly lower (p &lt; 0.05) than in group B (5.8 ± 7.8). Similar trends in weight gain were observed at days 4 and 7. These findings suggest that a cow's milk‐based formula is well tolerated by majority of the infants with mild acute gastroenteritis after initial rehydration with ORS. The infants who were fed the milk‐free cereal‐based diet showed significantly less energy intake and gained weight less rapidly than those who were fed the cow's milk‐based formula.