Characteristics and outcome of patients referred to a specialized outpatient clinic for the management of malnutrition: A retrospective audit.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Insufficient screening and management of malnutrition leads to increase morbidity and mortality. AIMS: to evaluate the characteristics and clinical outcomes of malnourished patients referred to a specialized outpatient clinic for the management of malnutrition (primary); to compare the latter according to malnutrition severity; to determine the factors associated with severe malnutrition and mortality; to compare the consistency of the decided medical nutrition therapy with the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) guidelines (secondary). METHODS: This retrospective, observational study included malnourished adults referred for the first time to the specialized nutrition consultation of a teaching University Hospital during 50 months. Malnutrition was diagnosed according to the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition criteria, including body composition assessment by bioimpedance analysis. STATISTICS: Chi2 or Fisher, Student or Wilcoxon rank-sum tests; multivariable logistic regression to assess the factors associated with severe malnutrition and mortality. RESULTS: 108 malnourished adults were included: 74% had severe malnutrition. The main secondary diagnosis was digestive cancer (48.2%). During the follow-up (median = 70 days) after the first nutritional consultation, 11% of patients were admitted at hospital, 19% had infections and 23.1% died, without any difference according to malnutrition severity. Severely malnourished patients had lower body mass index, a smaller fat mass index (FMI) (4.6 ± 1.8 vs 6.0 ± 2.5 kg/m2; p = 0.01), and a higher level of total body water (64.7 ± 7.1 vs 60.6 ± 5.4%; p = 0.02), compared to moderately malnourished individuals. A low FMI (odds ratio = 0.72 [0.54-0.96]) was the only factor significantly associated with severe malnutrition. We did not find any factor associated with mortality. There was a moderate consistency (47.1%) between the decided medical nutrition therapy and the ESPEN guidelines of nutritional care. CONCLUSIONS: Adults referred for the first time to a specialized nutritional consultation present mostly with severe malnutrition and are at risk for significant complications, leading to a high mortality rate. In this population, a low FMI is associated with severe malnutrition. An earlier diagnosis and care of malnutrition and an earlier referral to clinical nutrition units would improve outcomes.

Exploring sub-threshold food addiction in adult patients with severe obesity: a cross-sectional analysis.

BACKGROUND: Most studies on Food Addiction (FA) used the strict classical diagnosis approach without quantifying sub-threshold symptoms (i.e. uncontrolled/excessive food intake, negative affect, craving, tolerance, withdrawal, and continued use despite harm) nor indicating where they stand on the "three-stage addiction cycle" modeling the transition from substance use to addiction. OBJECTIVES: (1) to estimate the proportion of clinically significant episodes of distress/impairment in severely obese patients without FA, and (2) to assess their associations with FA symptoms at the subthreshold level. METHODS: The modified Yale Food Addiction Scale 2.0 (mYFAS 2.0) assesses 11 symptoms (diagnostic criteria) plus clinically significant impairment and distress (clinical significance criterion). We used this tool to diagnose FA (≥ 2 criteria plus clinical significance) in adult patients with severe obesity, but included only those below the threshold in the analyses. Demographics, clinical features, and obesity complications were collected. RESULTS: Only 18% of the 192 participants (women n = 148, 77.1%; mean age: 43.0 ± 13.2) reported a total absence of FA symptoms, while one in four reported recurrent episodes of clinically significant distress (24%) or impairment (25%) in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. The most common recurrent symptoms were first-stage symptoms (binge/intoxication), while second- (withdrawal/negative affect) and third-stage (preoccupation/anticipation) symptoms affected nearly one patient in five for tolerance and craving, and one in ten for withdrawal. In multivariate analysis, impairment was positively related to withdrawal and tolerance, while distress was positively related to failure in role obligations. CONCLUSION: Many patients with severe obesity experience recurrent episodes of FA symptoms at the subthreshold level. Prospective studies will examine whether these symptoms may play a causal role in symptoms progression toward a full-blown FA and obesity outcomes.

The Yucatan minipig model: A new preclinical model of malnutrition in obese patients with acute or chronic diseases.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Malnutrition can develop in patients with obesity suffering from acute or chronic illness or after obesity surgery, promoting sarcopenic obesity. A better understanding of this pathophysiology and the development of new therapeutics for chronic diseases, that are often complicated with malnutrition and obesity, justify the development of new animal experimental models close to the human physiology. This study aims to characterize the effects of obesity and underfeeding on Yucatan obese minipigs, assessing its validity as a preclinical model for obesity-related malnutrition. METHODS: Sixteen 30-month-old Yucatan minipigs were divided into two groups for 8 weeks: a standard diet group (ST, n = 5) and an obesogenic diet group (OB, n = 11). After 8 weeks, the OB group was further divided into two sub-groups: a standard diet group (OB-ST, n = 5) and a low-calorie/low-protein diet group (OB-LC/LP, n = 6) for 8 weeks. Body composition by CT-Scan and blood parameters were monitored, and trapezius muscle biopsies were collected to analyse signaling pathways involved in protein turnover and energy metabolism. RESULTS: At W8, OB-ST animals exhibited significantly higher body weight (+37.7%, p = 0.03), muscle mass (+24.9%, p = 0.02), and visceral fat (+192.0%, p = 0.03) compared to ST. Trapezius cross sectional area (CSA) normalized to body weight was lower in OB-ST animals (-15.02%, p = 0.017). At W16, no significant changes were observed in protein turnover markers, although REDD1 increased in OB-ST (96.4%, p = 0.02). After 8 weeks of low-caloric/low protein diet, OB-LC/LP showed decreased body weight (-9.8%, p = 0.03), muscle mass (-6.5%, p = 0.03), and visceral fat (-41.5%, p = 0.03) compared to OB-ST animals. Trapezius fiber CSA significantly decreased in OB-LC/LP (-36.1%, p < 0.0001) and normalized to body weight (-25.4%, p < 0.0001), combined to higher ubiquitinated protein content (+38.3%, p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Our data support that the Yucatan minipig model mimics nutritional and skeletal muscle phenotypes observed in obese patients, with or without protein-energy malnutrition. It also reproduces muscle atrophy observed in chronic diseases or post-obesity surgery, making it a promising preclinical model for obesity-related malnutrition.

Unraveling diabetes complexity through natural products, miRNAs modulation, and future paradigms in precision medicine and global health.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The challenge posed by diabetes necessitates a paradigm shift from conventional diagnostic approaches focusing on glucose and lipid levels to the transformative realm of precision medicine. This approach, leveraging advancements in genomics and proteomics, acknowledges the individualistic genetic variations, dietary preferences, and environmental exposures in diabetes management. The study comprehensively analyzes the evolving diabetes landscape, emphasizing the pivotal role of genomics, proteomics, microRNAs (miRNAs), metabolomics, and bioinformatics. RESULTS: Precision medicine revolutionizes diabetes research and treatment by diverging from traditional diagnostic methods, recognizing the heterogeneous nature of the condition. MiRNAs, crucial post-transcriptional gene regulators, emerge as promising therapeutic targets, influencing key facets such as insulin signaling and glucose homeostasis. Metabolomics, an integral component of omics sciences, contributes significantly to diabetes research, elucidating metabolic disruptions, and offering potential biomarkers for early diagnosis and personalized therapies. Bioinformatics unveils dynamic connections between natural substances, miRNAs, and cellular pathways, aiding in the exploration of the intricate molecular terrain in diabetes. The study underscores the imperative for experimental validation in natural product-based diabetes therapy, emphasizing the need for in vitro and in vivo studies leading to clinical trials for assessing effectiveness, safety, and tolerability in real-world applications. Global cooperation and ethical considerations play a pivotal role in addressing diabetes challenges worldwide, necessitating a multifaceted approach that integrates traditional knowledge, cultural competence, and environmental awareness. CONCLUSIONS: The key components of diabetes treatment, including precision medicine, metabolomics, bioinformatics, and experimental validation, converge in future strategies, embodying a holistic paradigm for diabetes care anchored in cutting-edge research and global healthcare accessibility.