Nutritional intervention improves the caloric and proteic ingestion of head and neck cancer patients under radiotherapy.

Malnutrition is commonly associated with head and neck cancer, due especially to anorexia, which is aggravated by radiotherapy. The objective of this study was to evaluate modifications to nutritional ingestion following three types of nutritional intervention. Sixty-four male out-patients (62.1 +/- 1.5 years) were divided into three groups: oral group, (n=32) that received an adapted oral diet; feeding tube group, (n=16) under home enteral nutrition via a nasoenteral feeding tube (6x/day); and supplement group, (n=16) with oral diet associated to oral alimentary supplement between meals (3x/day). The groups were homogeneous and counseled to maintain a caloric ingestion of 40 kcal/kg. The diet for the oral group was adapted to the age and to the side effects of radiotherapyThe nutritional state of the three groups was evaluated for the caloric-proteic ingestion, anthropometric indicators (body weight, body mass index, triceps skinfold thickness, midarm muscle area), laboratorial indicators (total proteins, albumin, hematocrit, hemoglobin and total lymphocytes count), The results showed that all of the groups presented an increase in the ingestion of calories and proteins (p < 0.001). The nutritional therapy support for patients with head and neck cancer under radiotherapy, whether exclusive oral diet, enteral through a feeding tube, or with alimentary supplement associated to an oral diet achieved a significant increase in the total caloric ingestion. It is recommended that programs be implemented-to improve the ingestion of foods among these patients.

Long-term nutritional assessment of patients with severe short bowel syndrome managed with home enteral nutrition and oral intake.

BACKGROUND: Parenteral nutrition (PN) is used to control the nutritional state after severe intestinal resections. Whenever possible, enteral nutrition (EN) is used to promote intestinal rehabilitation and reduce PN dependency. Our aim is to verify whether EN + oral intake (OI) in severe short bowel syndrome (SBS) surgical adult patients can maintain adequate nutritional status in the long term. METHODS: This longitudinal retrospective study included 10 patients followed for 7 post-operative years. Body mass index (BMI), percentage of involuntary loss of usual body weight (UWL), free fat mass (FFM), and fat mass (FM) composition assessed by bioelectric impedance, and laboratory tests were evaluated at 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72, and 84 months after surgery. Energy and protein offered in HPN and at long term by HEN+ oral intake (OI), was evaluated at the same periods. The statistical model of generalized estimating equations with p < 0,05 was used. RESULTS: With long term EN + OI there was a progressive increase in the UWL, a decrease in BMI, FFM, and FM (p < 0,05). PN weaning was possible in eight patients. Infection due to central venous catheter (CVC) contamination was the most common complication (1.2 episodes CVC/patient/year). There was an increase in energy and protein intake supply provided by HEN+OI (p < 0.05). All patients survived for at least 2 years, seven for 5 years and six for 7 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: In the long term SBS surgical adult patients fed with HEN+OI couldn't maintain adequate nutritional status with loss of FM and FFM.

[Iron-deficiency anemia in enteral nutrition: correlation with tube position]. / Anemia ferropriva na nutrição enteral: correlação com o posicionamento da sonda.

Enteral alimentation is a commonly employed procedure for pre-operative rehabilitation and nutritional maintenance of depleted patients suffering from esophageal diseases. In a prospective study of 61 cases exhibiting benign (n = 38) and malignant (n = 23) conditions, a commercial polymeric diet was supplied in the proportion of 40 Kcal/kg/day during at least two weeks. The liquid preparation was infused by bolus technique at home, by the patients themselves, via nasogastric (n = 25) or nasoduodenal silastic tube (n = 36). Total food intake, that before treatment had been under 60% of estimated requirements, reached the expected range throughout the therapeutic period, and also iron input was adequate (0.3 mg/kg/day). Standart anthropometric and biochemical assessment of these cases, with included serum iron and hemoglobin concentration, indicated stabilization of general nutritional parameters, but with persistence of moderate anemia(hemoglobin 12.6 +/- 2.0 g/dl; iron 59.2 +/- 35.7 mg/dl). Stratification of the population according to enteral tube position demonstrated similar diagnoses and clinical conditions for both groups. Mean initial iron and hemoglobin concentration was also the same, but final serum iron was increased after gastric administration (p < 0.05) and diminished with duodenal diet (p < 0.05). It is concluded that: home enteral nutrition in malnourished patients with esophageal diseases is consistent with an acceptable nutritional status, but without significant recovery from anemia, serum iron in this population only increases after intra-gastric alimentation; it is probable that this last finding is related to impaired ionization and absorption of dietary iron, when food is introduced in a postpyloric site.