The relationship between delayed hypersensitivity response, nutritional status and clinical outcome in surgical patients referred for nutritional support

Delayed hypersensitivity responses to recall antigens were measured in 125 surgical patients referred for nutritional assessment and support. On initial testing 57 patients were skin test positive and 68 were anergic each of these patient groups being closely matched in terms of surgical conditions. There was a mortality of 4 in the skin test positive group and 26 in the anergic group. The anergic patients were significantly older and in biochemical and anthropometric terms were in poorer nutritional status than the skin test positive group. Of 33 anergic patients who were repeat tested, 15 remained anergic and 18 converted to a positive response. Conversion from anergy to a positive response was not associated with changes in the measured indices of nutritional status and did not improve clinical outcome. The value of repeat skin testing is therefore in doubt.     

The effect of unselected post-operative nutritional supplementation on nutritional status and clinical outcome of orthopaedic patients

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Nutritional supplements are widely administered in hospitals and can benefit clinical outcome. The aim here was to determine the effect of routine post-operative nutritional supplementation on the nutritional status and clinical outcome of adult orthopaedic patients. METHODS: A prospective controlled study was conducted on two adult orthopaedic wards. Patients in the study group were prescribed two nutritional supplements/day post-operatively. Nutritional and biochemical indices and incidence of clinical complications were observed. RESULTS: Of 181 patients studied, 14 in the supplemented group and 34 in the control (P=0.005) developed major complications. There were 22 occurrences of major complications in the supplemented group and 55 in the control (P=0.0002). There was no significant difference in the number of minor complications between the two groups (P=0.2). There was no statistical difference in changes in nutritional parameters or in albumin or CRP between the two groups. There were significantly greater reductions in transferrin (P=0.002) and in haemoglobin (P=0.002) in the control group at week 1. The median costs of hospital stay were 2068 UK pounds in the supplemented group and 2199 UK pounds in the control. The median cost of additional treatments was 30.16 UK pounds in the supplemented group and 46.23 UK pounds in the control. CONCLUSION: A significant reduction in major complications and in number and costs of additional treatments was seen in the supplemented group.     

An algorithm for the clinical assessment of nutritional status in hospitalized patients

Upon admission to hospital, 30-50 % of patients either are or become malnourished. There is no generally accepted definition of malnutrition or guidelines on the best way to establish nutritional status. We consider it self-evident that the nursing staff have an important role in screening patients at risk of malnutrition on admission and thereafter at regular times. This is why we developed the nursing nutritional screening form (NNSF). The NNSF was tested by nurses, dietitians and clinicians, in pairs, to establish the extent of agreement in two phases on sixty-nine and forty patients. Later, the form was used in practice by nursing staff on five wards (334 patients). Based on the results of the NNSF, patients were referred to a dietitian. The dietitian established whether the patient was indeed at risk, or was actually malnourished, using a complete nutritional history. The degree of concurrence within pairs was reasonable to good. The same applied to the concurrence between nursing staff and dietitians, but concurrence between clinicians and nursing staff was less. In total, 334 patients were screened and sixty-nine of them were referred to the dietitian. It was established that 86 % of the referred patients were potentially at risk of malnutrition or were malnourished. Without the NNSF, 39 % (n 27) of the patients referred to the dietitian would not have been referred, or would have been referred much later. The NNSF makes it possible for nurses to detect malnourished patients or patients at risk of malnutrition at an early stage of their hospitalization.     

营养支持对内科患者营养状况和临床结局的影响

目的 评价营养支持对有营养风险内科住院患者营养状况和临床结局的影响.方法 营养风险筛查2002筛查有营养风险的148例患者根据入院时间顺次排序,依单双号进行分组,分为常规治疗组75例和个体化营养干预组73例.干预措施包括鼓励患者进食、设计饮食计划、确保膳食处方的落实.评价住院期间能量、蛋白质入量、体质量、住院时间、住院费用及并发症发生率.结果 营养干预组有更高的蛋白质摄入量[(45.1±2.2)g/d比(54.8±2.5) g/d,P=0.004)],能量摄入干预组有增高的趋势[(4 180.0±227.4) kJ/d比(4 589.6±150.5) kJ/d,P=0.135)],但差异无统计学意义.46.6％的干预组患者摄入量超过需求量的75％,对照组只有30.7％,差异有统计学意义(P =0.047).干预组比对照组更能保持自身体质量[(-0.4±0.2) kg比(-1.1±0.2)kg,P=0.025].对照组与干预组的住院时间[(13.5±0.9)d比(12.4±0.6)d,P=0.310)]、住院费用[(17834±1 824)元比(16 099±1 243)元,P=0.435)]、并发症发生率(12.8％比8.1％,P=0.184)差异均无统计学意义.结论 营养干预对内科住院患者蛋白质摄入量及住院期间体质量的保持有意义,大样本随机对照试验研究营养干预对有营养风险的内科住院患者临床结局的影响是必要的.     

Effect of nutritional support on clinical outcome in patients at nutritional risk

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Undernourished patients have an increased risk of complications and a prolonged hospital stay, compared to those who are not undernourished. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of nutritional intervention in a random sample of hospitalized patients at nutritional risk. METHODS: A randomized, controlled trial of nutritional intervention in 212 patients. Intervention consisted of a specialized nutritional team (nurse and dietician) who attended patients and staff for motivation, detailed a nutritional plan, assured delivery of prescribed food and gave advice on enteral or parenteral nutrition when appropriate. The control group received the standard regime used in the department. The primary endpoint was the part of the length of stay (LOS) that was considered to be sensitive to nutritional support, designated LOSNDI. The nutritional discharge index (NDI) consists of three objective criteria: (1) the patient is able to manage toilet visits without assistance, reflecting mobilization; (2) the patient is without fever (tp < 38 degrees C), reflecting absence of infection; and (3) the patient has no intravenous access, reflecting absence of complications in general. On the day when all three criteria were fulfilled, hospital stay was no longer considered to be sensitive to nutritional support. Actual LOS is also reported. Incidence and severity of complications were recorded to explain LOSNDI findings. As a secondary endpoint, quality of life was evaluated by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire. RESULTS: Intervention led to an intake of > or = 75% of requirements in 62% of the intervention patients, as compared to 36% of the control patients. Rates of complications, mean LOSNDI and LOS were not significantly different between the two study groups. However, among patients with complications a difference in LOSNDI between intervention patients (14 +/- 2 days, mean +/- SE) and control patients (20 +/- 2 days) was statistically significant (P = 0.015). In the same patients, LOS was 17 +/- 2 days in the intervention group and 22 +/- 2 days in the control group (P = 0.028). The SF-36 questionnaire did not show a significant effect of treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Protein and energy intake of nutritionally at-risk patients was increased which resulted in shortening of the part of the length of stay that was considered to be sensitive to nutritional support (LOSNDI) and shorter length of stay (LOS) among patients with complications.     

Standardized phase angle indicates nutritional status in hospitalized preoperative patients

There is currently no criterion standard to assess nutritional status, and different methods have been used in hospitalized patients. The aim of this study was to investigate the agreement and the association between bioelectrical impedance analysis derived by standardized phase angle (SPA) and other methods used for the nutritional assessment of body composition, metabolic status, and functional status in surgical patients. The hypothesis was that the SPA is effective for evaluating nutritional status in surgical patients; therefore, it could be used when the application of other assessment methods is not possible. The sample consisted of 125 patients (20-94 years of age) before elective gastrointestinal or hernia repair. The participants were from the Surgical Clinic 1 at the University Hospital of the Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil. Nutritional status was evaluated during the preoperative period based on the triceps skinfold thickness, mid-arm circumference, body mass index, percent weight loss, nutritional risk screening 2002 (NRS 2002), subjective global assessment (SGA), and SPA. The agreement between the SPA and the other methods was assessed with the k coefficient. The agreement between the SPA and the methods of nutritional assessment that were investigated for diagnosing malnutrition was moderate for NRS 2002 and SGA, weak for percent weight loss, and poor for triceps skinfold thickness, mid-arm circumference, and body mass index. There was a significant association between SPA and both NRS 2002 and SGA (P < .001). Our results suggest that SPA is able to indicate the risk of nutritional deficiency in the patients assessed. However, good agreement between SPA and the methods investigated was not observed.     

542例慢性呼吸系统疾病住院病人营养状况调查分析

目的:对慢性呼吸系统疾病病人进行营养风险筛查与评估,分析相关的营养不良危险因素,及早预测和发现营养不良的发生。方法:采用横断面调查法,对内蒙古自治区人民医院呼吸与危重症医学科新入院病人进行营养风险筛查与评估,应用营养风险筛查2002(NRS 2002)、SGA评分表、膳食调查自评表等进行营养状况评价、并收集入院时实验室检查结果,纳入年龄、吸烟史及受教育程度等因素进行统计分析。结果:全年新入院病人2 022例,排除不符合标准后纳入542例。根据SGA评分分组,性别、吸烟、年龄及膳食评分均与病人营养不良相关,差异具有统计学(P <0.05)。对比不同疾病病人的营养状况,发现肺癌病人重度营养不良病人比例高于其他慢性呼吸系统疾病病人,支气管扩张病人营养良好比例较高(P <0.05)。慢阻肺及肺癌病人白蛋白、前白蛋白水平低于其他慢性呼吸系统疾病病人、而C反应蛋白水平高于其他慢性呼吸系统疾病病人,支气管扩张病人血红蛋白低于其他慢性呼吸系统疾病病人,差异均有统计学意义(P <0.05)。结论:慢性呼吸系统疾病病人营养风险和营养不良发生率较高,尤其是慢阻肺病人,应足够重视早期筛查与评价。     

对77例糖尿病患者营养状况的研究

对77例糖尿病患者营养状况进行了研究。结果表明,糖尿病患者的％IBW、AC、Amc、TSF、Hb、Alb等项营养指标均证实糖尿病病人存在着较严重的营养障碍(P<0.05)。采用供热比不同的两组膳食治疗后,营养状况的恢复高蛋白组好于低蛋白组。病情的愈合指标OGTT、Cr,Bun等均无显著差异(P>0.05)。     

住院病人营养风险筛查及营养支持对临床结局影响的研究

目的:应用欧洲营养筛查方法(NRS 2002)分析住院病人营养风险,并探讨营养支持的效果和合理性。方法:选取694例住院病人采用NRS 2002进行营养风险调查,依据病人是否接受营养支持和营养支持的类型,分析营养支持对病人临床结局的影响。结果:在694例住院病人中,营养不良率和营养风险发生率分别为为14.0%和27.5%。有营养风险的病人并发症的发生率显著高于无营养风险的病人(P0.01)。有营养问题的病人中接受营养支持者占总支持人数的81.7%,而无营养风险的病人中接受营养支持者占总支持人数的18.3%。在营养风险病人中,给予营养支持者并发症的发生率明显减少,缩短了住院时间。在营养风险病人中,肠内营养(EN)病人并发症的发生率也明显低于接受肠外营养(PN)者。结论:采用NRS 2002对住院病人营养风险和营养支持率的调查,可有效地鉴别住院病人的营养风险,并为营养支持提供依据。     

安徽地区多中心住院病人肠外营养使用状况横断面调查研究

目的:借鉴"营养日"调查问卷模式,评估住院病人营养状况。重点探讨其肠外营养使用现状。方法:采用横断面调查研究的方法,根据欧洲通用的"营养日"调查问卷内容,收集2017年5月5日当天,安徽地区10家综合医院所有输注PN的成年住院病人(≥18岁)的基本信息、营养状况及PN使用情况等相关信息。结果:调查共收集问卷287份,其中63.1%(181/287)存在营养风险。PN的输注形式上"多瓶串输"者46.0%(132/287)和"全合一"者54.0%(155/287)的比例基本相当。PN输注途径主要为外周静脉69.0%(198/287),中心静脉占31.0%(89/287)。营养液平均输注时间为(10.3±4.4)h。PN配方的糖脂比中位数和上、下四分位间距为0.6(0.2,0.7),热氮比中位数和上、下四分位间距为163.4(115.3,244.1)。结论:住院病人营养风险的发生率较高。肠外营养支持治疗过程中尚存在诸多不合理现象,需通过提高PN处方水平以规范PN支持治疗合理有序的开展。     

Poor nutritional habits are predictors of poor outcome in very old hospitalized patients

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is prevalent in elderly populations. Recommended methods of nutritional screening are often too complicated and time-consuming for routine application in frail, very old, hospitalized patients. OBJECTIVE: Our aims were to identify risk factors for development of malnutrition in very old hospitalized patients and to evaluate the total Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score and MNA subscores as predictors of in-hospital and long-term mortality. DESIGN: A prospective cohort study of patients aged > or =75 y was conducted in a geriatric hospital. Assessment included demographic, clinical, and laboratory data and cognitive, functional, and nutritional status. Follow-up was conducted for < or =2.7 y. RESULTS: Of the 414 patients studied, only 73 (17.6%) were well-nourished. Low serum albumin and phosphorus concentrations, dementia, and cerebrovascular accident (CVA) were significant risk factors for malnutrition. Survival was significantly lower in malnourished patients and patients at risk of malnutrition than in well-nourished patients (P < 0.0001). Low MNA-3 subscores (dietary habits) were significantly correlated with laboratory indexes of malnutrition and were significantly lower in patients with infections, malignancy, pressure ulcers, dementia, recent orthopedic surgery, and CVA. Multivariate analysis showed that a low MNA-3 score was an independent predictor of mortality; scores <7.5 increased the risk of death 2.05-fold. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of malnutrition was high in elderly hospitalized patients. Dietary habits were significant predictors of poor hospitalization outcome. A questionnaire on dietary habits can serve as a useful tool in assessing nutritional status and prognosis in elderly patients.     

Impact of preoperative nutritional support on clinical outcome in abdominal surgical patients at nutritional risk

ObjectiveThis multicenter, prospective cohort study evaluated the effect of preoperative nutritional support in abdominal surgical patients at nutritional risk as defined by the Nutritional Risk Screening Tool 2002 (NRS-2002).MethodsA consecutive series of patients admitted for selective abdominal surgery in the Peking Union Medical College Hospital and the Beijing University Third Hospital in Beijing, China were recruited from March 2007 to July 2008. Data were collected on the nutritional risk screening (NRS-2002), the application of perioperative nutritional support, surgery, complications, and length of stay. A minimum of 7 d of parenteral nutrition or enteral nutrition before surgery was considered adequate preoperative nutritional support.ResultsIn total 1085 patients were recruited, and 512 of them were at nutritional risk. Of the 120 patients with an NRS score at least 5, the complication rate was significantly lower in the preoperative nutrition group compared with the control group (25.6% versus 50.6%, P = 0.008). The postoperative hospital stay was significantly shorter in the preoperative nutrition group than in the control group (13.7 ± 7.9 versus 17.9 ± 11.3 d, P = 0.018). Of the 392 patients with an NRS score from 3 to 4, the complication rate and the postoperative hospital stay were similar between patients with and those without preoperative nutritional support (P = 1.0 and 0.770, respectively).ConclusionThis finding suggests that preoperative nutritional support is beneficial to patients with an NRS score at least 5 by lowering the complication rate.     

Maternal nutritional status and adolescent pregnancy outcome

To investigate the determinants of low birth weight of infants born to adolescent mothers, we studied the obstetric population attended at the Maternity Hospital of Lima, Peru. From this population we selected for study a sample of 1256 adolescent mothers ranging in age from 12 to 25 yr. The study included anthropometric and biochemical measurements used to evaluate nutritional status and physiological maturity of the mother and newborn. Findings from the present research indicate that the low birth weight of infants born to adolescent mothers is not due to premature delivery (short gestation) or low gynecological maturity. Furthermore, young adolescent mothers had smaller and thinner newborns than those born to older women who were adjusted for nutritional status during pregnancy and at delivery. That is, despite the similar nutritional status among the young adolescent mothers, the availability of nutrients for the accumulation of calories in the fetus (measured by skinfold thickness) was less than that of older women. Furthermore, the pregnancy weight gain associated with an optimal or average newborn weight is greater for young teenagers than for older women. These findings support the hypothesis that among rapidly growing teenagers the nutritional requirements of pregnancy may be greater than those of older women, and that this increased requirement competes with the growth needs of the fetus.     

个体化临床营养治疗对糖尿病前期患者转归的影响及因素分析

目的观察个体化临床营养疗法强化干预对新诊断的糖尿病前期人群的转归及影响因素。方法选取2012年7月上海市虹口区社区糖尿病高危人群中,新筛查并诊断为糖尿病前期患者70例,以社区为单位分为临床营养治疗组（干预组）35例和常规随访组（对照组）35例。对照组进行常规健康教育,干预组进行每2个月1次的个体化膳食分析、营养指导以及糖尿病健康教育。随访8个月分析转归及影响因素。结果 8个月后,干预组在体质指数、体脂率、餐后2 h血糖、收缩压、舒张压、总胆固醇的下降程度与对照组比较,差异均有统计学意义（P〈0.05）。两组各有1例（2.86%）进展为糖尿病,但干预组有31例（88.57%）患者逆转为正常糖耐量（NGT）;对照组仅1例（2.86%）,两组逆转率差异有统计学意义（P〈0.01）。logistic逐步回归分析发现,体脂率、总胆固醇值的下降与糖尿病前期逆转为NGT呈独立正相关（P〈0.05）。结论临床营养干预可显著增加糖尿病前期人群的NGT逆转率。体脂率、总胆固醇值的下降是糖尿病前期人群逆转为NGT的重要影响因素。     

Menu changes and their effects on the nutritional content of menus and nutritional status of elderly, hospitalized, mental health patients

As part of the competitive tendering process for a National Health Service catering contract in a UK psychiatric hospital, new menus were devised. The theoretical nutritional content of the pre- and post-tender menus was assessed, and the nutritional status of elderly, mental health patients determined before and after the introduction of the new menus.
Results indicated that the pre-tender menu did not provide recommended intakes for vitamin D, and that theoretical intakes of sodium exceeded recommendations by 100%. Fat comprised 47% of total energy and carbohydrate 36% of energy. Total energy intakes were theoretically above the estimated average requirement, despite the wasted appearance of some patients. Clinical assessments of patients' nutritional status showed notable proportions of patients with low levels of serum folate, serum vitamin D and plasma vitamin C, evidence of low body weights and depleted protein stores.
The new menus supplied less energy overall, owing to a reduction in fat content. Intakes of vitamin D and folate theoretically increased, although vitamin D intakes still failed to meet recommendations. The proportion of fat as total energy fell to 34%, and the proportion of carbohydrate rose to 47%. The increase in carbohydrate was the result of an increased starch content. After 1 year consuming the new menu, the fat stores of the elderly mental health patients fell (probably as a result of the decreased energy intake). In addition, levels of serum and red cell folate, and vitamin D fell. Whilst acknowledging that nutritional status is affected by many factors this study shows the importance of considering all aspects of the diet, and all causes of nutritional losses when devising new menus to attempt to counter nutritional deficiencies.     

Increased risk of alteration of nutritional status in hospitalized elderly patients with advanced cancer

Malnutrition is common in patients with advanced cancer and is associated with worse prognosis. The aim of this study was to follow-up the nutritional status of elderly patients with advanced cancer in comparison with that of younger ones, in the course of hospitalization. Eighty-eight (44 males and 44 females) patients with advanced cancer entered the study. Two groups were defined according to age : superior 70 y (n = 45) and < 70 y (n = 43). Nutritional status by means of anthropometric variables and daily intake were assessed on Day 0, Day 30 and Day 60. A blood sample was collected on Day 0 for determination of serum proteins. The two groups of patients did not differ in terms of anthropometry and biological variables on admission to our department ; only bicipital skinfold thickness and energy intake were lower in the elderly patients. After one month hospitalization, tricipital skinfold thickness and fat mass decreased in these patients. After two months, mid-arm circumference also decreased. Unlike the older group, the younger patients increased their daily energy and protein intakes. During hospitalization, older persons with advanced cancer cannot improve their energy intake and therefore, are at particular risk of aggravating their nutritional status.     

Effect of dietary supplement on nutritional status and clinical outcome in 501 geriatric patients--a randomised study

The present study was designed to evaluate to the effect of dietary supplements on clinical outcome and nutritional status in a large group of geriatric patients (n = 501). The patients were randomised into an experimental group which received nutritional supplementation (400 kcal) as well as a standard hospital diet, and a control group on hospital diet alone. The nutritional state was measured on admission and after 8 and 26 weeks by anthropometry, serum protein analysis and a delayed hypersensitivity skin test. Protein energy malnutrition was defined as the presence of three or more abnormal parameters. 28.5% of patients showed evidence of malnutrition on admission. Hospitalisation itself resulted in a gradual deterioration in nutritional status. Nutritional supplementation generally improved nutritional state. Among those patients who were well nourished on admission, and subsequently receiving dietary supplementation, 8.3% fulfilled malnutrition criteria after 26 weeks, while 21.1% were considered malnourished in the control group (p < 0.05). The improvement observed in transport proteins was probably related to nutritional support and not just to the reversal of inflammation. In the initially well nourished group of more than 300 patients, the mortality rate was 8.6% in those given nutritional support compared to 18.6% in the control group (p < 0.02).