[Intra-dialysis parenteral nutrition in chronic renal patients: consensus SEN-SENPE]. / Nutrición parenteral intradiálisis en el enfermo renal crónico: consenso SEN-SENPE.

Given the high prevalence of the hyponutrition state among haemodialysis patients and knowing that this implies an increase in the rates of infection, hospitalisation and hospital stay, which translates into an increase in global morbid-mortality, the Spanish Society of Nephrology (SEN) and the Spanish Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (SENPE) have reached a consensus on the indications, contraindications, and limitations of Intra-Dialysis Parenteral Nutrition (IDPN.) This consensus considers IDPN as a valid alternative to other types of nutritional support when these show their lack of efficacy. The bases are set regarding the timing of nutritional intervention with IDPN, its ideal composition, the time of administration, its controls, follow-up schedules, and the time at which the nutritional support has to be discontinued.

[Prevalence of malnutrition in medical and surgical wards of a university hospital]. / Prevalencia de malnutrición en los servicios médicos y quirúrgicos de un hospital universitario.

INTRODUCTION: Malnutrition is frequently found in hospitals, where is related to poor outcomes. There are contradictory data about if prevalence of malnutrition is greater in surgical or medical patients. The aim of this study is to know the prevalence of malnutrition in both groups of patients. METHODS: The nutritional status of 189 patients from medical and surgical wards was assessed with Subjective Global Assessment, and data about sex, age, length of hospital stay, mortality, diseases, and wards of admission were collected. Qualitative variables were compared with chi-square test, and independent quantitative variables with Student's t test. P < 0.05 was accepted as significative. RESULTS: The prevalence of malnutrition was 40.2%. Malnourished patients have lost 7.3% of their weight, 67.1% referred a diminished oral intake, and 53.9% anorexia. Malnutrition was significatively associated to male sex, greater length of stay, and cancer. Prevalence and severity of malnutrition were similar in medical and surgical wards, and malnourished patients just differed in diseases (chronic diseases in medical; surgical procedures and cancer in surgery). CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition is equally prevalent in medical and surgical wards, probably due to different but highly frequent risk factors, and is related to a longer hospital stay.

[II BAXTER-SENPE workshop: peripheral parenteral nutrition]. / II Mesa de Trabajo Baxter-SENPE: Nutrición Parenteral Periférica.

During the II BAXTER-SENPE workshop, a multidisciplinary nutrition expert committee discusses on indications, advantages and drawbacks of Peripheral Parenteral Nutrition (PPN), being defined as PN compounded by the three essential elements, vitamins, and minerals. Its composition implies a CH: lipids ratio of 60:40, a limited lipid daily intake (1.3 g/kg of body weight/day) and no more than 30% of total calories), and a nitrogen load not higher than 10 g of nitrogen in a maximum volume of 2500 mL. PPN can be administered by the peripheral route since its osmolarity is lower than 800 mOsm/L and pH is 6.0-7.4; in this way, possible adverse affects of central venous accesses are prevented. Currently, PPN by represent up to 50% of all PNs prescribed at a hospital Studies on efficacy, safety and pharmacoeconomic show that PPN is very useful therapeutic resource in certain clinical situations, both medical and surgical, to prevent metabolic-nutritional worsening of the patient, thus having an impact on significant reduction of complications, the number of interventions, and hospital stay.

Chylous ascites following heart transplantation.

We report a case of chylous ascites in a 52-year-old woman after an orthotopic heart transplantation. The patient was successfully managed with conservative treatment including dietetic measures and repeated paracentesis. The potential aetiopathological factors involved and other implications for cardiac transplant patients are discussed.