Prevalence of malnutrition in various political, economic, and geographic settings.

BACKGROUND: Disease-related malnutrition (DRM) represents a critical public health concern. Therefore, Fight Against Malnutrition (FAM) should be a state priority, but the degree to which this is true appears to differ considerably among European countries. The aim of this study was to put the problem into perspective by comparing the prevalence of malnutrition in countries from opposite parts of the continent. METHODS: Six countries-Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Poland, and Turkey-participated in the study. A short questionnaire was used to assess DRM: its prevalence, the current situation in hospitals, regulations for reimbursement, and general healthcare circumstances. Data from ESPEN's NutritionDay 2006 were used to broaden the perspective. RESULTS: At admission in October 2012, 4068 patients were assessed. The study was performed in 160 hospitals and 225 units with 9143 beds. The highest proportions of patients with 3 or more points on the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 were observed in Estonia (80.4%) and Turkey (39.4%), whereas the lowest were in Lithuania (14.2%). The provision of nutrition support was best in Turkey (39.4% required intervention, 34.4% received intervention) and Poland (21.9% and 27.8%, respectively). Nutrition support teams (NSTs) are active in some countries, whereas in others they virtually do not exist. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of malnutrition was quite high in some countries, and the nutrition approach differed among them. It could be the result of the lack of reimbursement, inactive or nonexistent NSTs, and low nutrition awareness. Those facts confirmed that the continuation of FAM activities is necessary.

Postoperative complications and mortality after major gastrointestinal surgery.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The incidence of postoperative complications and death is low in the general population, but a subgroup of high-risk patients can be identified amongst whom adverse postoperative outcomes occur more frequently. The present study was undertaken to describe the incidence of postoperative complications, length of stay, and mortality after major abdominal surgery for gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary and pancreatic malignancies and to identify the risk factors for impaired outcome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Data of patients, operated on for gastro-intestinal malignancies during 2009-2010 were retrieved from the clinical database of Tartu University Hospital. Major outcome data included incidence of postoperative complications, hospital-, 30-day, 90-day and 1-year mortality, and length of ICU and hospital stay. High-risk patients were defined as patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status ≥3 and revised cardiac risk index (RCRI) ≥3. Multivariate analysis was used to determine the risk factors for postoperative mortality and morbidity. RESULTS: A total of 507 (259 men and 248 women, mean age 68.3±11.3 years) were operated on for gastrointestinal, hepatobiliary, or pancreatic malignancies during 2009 and 2010 in Tartu University Hospital, Department of Surgical Oncology. 25% of the patients were classified as high risk patients. The lengths of intensive care and hospital stay were 4.4±7 and 14.5±10 days, respectively. The rate of postoperative complications was 33.5% in the total cohort, and 44% in high-risk patients. The most common complication was delirium, which occurred in 12.8% of patients. For patients without high risk (ASA130min, and positive fluid balance >1300mL after the 1st postoperative day, were identified as independent risk factors for the development of complications. CONCLUSION: The complication rate after major gastro-intestinal surgery is high. ASA physical status and revised cardiac risk index adequately reflect increased risk for postoperative complications and worse short and long-term outcome.

Two cases of takotsubo syndrome related to tracheal intubation/extubation.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy is an acute, reversible left ventricular dysfunction with characteristic contractility disorder and is usually preceded by emotional or physical stress. Two cases of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy related to tracheal manipulation are presented. Both the patients had all the typical symptoms and signs of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, and both of them recovered completely within weeks. Tracheal manipulation is a well-known stress factor during the perioperative period, and experience from these two cases stresses the crucial role of measures aimed to stress reduction. Proper premedication and calm environment are recommended to produce anxiolysis before intubation. The administration of α- and ß-blockers is also recommended to inhibit sympathetic stress caused by tracheal manipulation.