Access to a pre-sleep protein snack increases daily energy and protein intake in surgical hospitalized patients.

BACKGROUND & AIM: In hospitalized patients, daily protein intake remains far below WHO requirements for healthy adults (0.8 g·kg-1·d-1) as well as ESPEN guidelines for patients (1.2-1.5 g·kg-1·d-1). Providing access to a pre-sleep protein dense snack between dinner and going to bed may serve as a great opportunity to increase daily energy and protein intake in hospitalized patients. However, it remains to be assessed whether protein provision prior to sleep effectively increases protein intake, or may reduce food intake throughout the remainder of the day(s). The present study evaluated the impact of giving access to a pre-sleep snack on daily energy and protein intake in patients throughout their hospitalization. METHODS: Patients admitted to the surgical wards of the Maastricht University Medical Centre+ were randomly allocated to usual care (n = 51) or given access to a pre-sleep snack (n = 50). The pre-sleep snack consisted of 103 g cheese cubes (30 g protein) provided between 7:30 and 9:30 PM, prior to sleep. All food provided and all food consumed was weighed and recorded throughout (2-7 days) hospitalization. Daily energy and protein intake and distribution were calculated. Data were analyzed by independent T-Tests with P < 0.05 considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: Daily energy intake was higher in the pre-sleep group (1353 ± 424 kcal d-1) when compared to the usual care group (1190 ± 402 kcal·d-1; P = 0.049). Providing patients access to a pre-sleep snack resulted in a 17% (11 ± 9 g) higher daily protein intake (0.81 ± 0.29 g·kg-1·d-1) when compared to the usual care group (0.69 ± 0.28 g·kg-1·d-1; P = 0.045). Protein intake at breakfast, lunch, and dinner did not differ between the pre-sleep and usual care groups (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Providing access to a pre-sleep protein snack, in the form of protein dense food items such as cheese, represents an effective dietary strategy to increase daily energy and protein intake in hospitalized patients. Patients consuming pre-sleep protein snacks do not compensate by lowering energy or protein intake throughout the remainder of the days. Pre-sleep protein dense food provision should be implemented in hospital food logistics to improve the nutritional intake of patients. TRIAL REGISTER NO: NL8507 (https://trialsearch.who.int/).

Corrigendum to: Personalized teleprehabilitation in elective cardiac surgery: a study protocol of the Digital Cardiac Counselling randomized controlled trial.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1093/ehjdh/ztab041.].

Personalized teleprehabilitation in elective cardiac surgery: a study protocol of the Digital Cardiac Counselling randomized controlled trial.

Aims: Previous research has shown the possibility to use the pre-operative period to improve a patient's tolerance for surgery. However, there is limited experience with prehabilitation in cardiac surgery. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of a comprehensive personalized teleprehabilitation programme on major adverse cardiac events (MACE) in patients scheduled for elective cardiac surgery. Secondary outcomes are post-operative complications, cardiovascular risk factors, quality of life, and cost-effectiveness. Methods and results: In this single-centre randomized controlled trial, patients are eligible for inclusion when they are ≥18 years of age and cardiac surgery is scheduled at least 8 weeks from informed consent. Participants will be randomized to the teleprehabilitation group or the control group. After a digital baseline screening for perioperative risk factors, patients in the intervention arm can pre-operatively be referred to one or more of the prehabilitation modules (functional exercise training, inspiratory muscle training, psychological support, nutritional support, and/or smoking cessation). The programme is targeted at a duration of at least 6 weeks. It is executed by a multidisciplinary team using (video)calls and supported by a custom-made digital platform. During the pre-operative period, the platform is also used to inform patients about their upcoming surgery and for telemonitoring. Conclusion: Reducing perioperative risk factors might result in a reduction of MACE, post-operative complications, length of stay, and cardiovascular risk factors, as well as improved quality of life. Cost-effectiveness will be evaluated.

During Hospitalization, Older Patients at Risk for Malnutrition Consume <0.65 Grams of Protein per Kilogram Body Weight per Day.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is prevalent in hospitalized patients. To support muscle maintenance in older and chronically ill patients, a protein intake of 1.2-1.5 g/kg/d has been recommended during hospitalization. We assessed daily protein intake levels and distribution in older patients at risk for malnutrition during hospitalization. METHODS: In this prospective, observational study, we measured actual food and food supplement consumption in patients (n = 102; age, 68 ± 14 years; hospital stay, 14 [8-28] days) at risk of malnutrition during hospitalization. Food provided by hospital meals, ONS, and snacks and the actual amount of food (not) consumed were weighed and recorded for all patients. RESULTS: Hospital meals provided 1.03 [0.77-1.26] protein, whereas actual protein consumption was only 0.65 [0.37-0.93] g/kg/d. Protein intake at breakfast, lunch, and dinner was 10 [6-15], 9 [5-14], and 13 [9-18] g, respectively. The use of ONS (n = 62) resulted in greater energy (1.26 [0.40-1.79] MJ/d, 300 [100-430] kcal/d) and protein intake levels (11 [4-16] g/d), without changing the macronutrient composition of the diet. CONCLUSION: Despite protein provision of ∼1.0 g/kg/d, protein intake remains well below these values (∼0.65 g/kg/d), as 30%-40% of the provided food and supplements is not consumed. Provision of ONS may increase energy and protein intake but does not change the macronutrient composition of the diet. Current nutrition strategies to achieve the recommended daily protein intake in older patients during their hospitalization are not as effective as generally assumed.