Measurement of body fat by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and bioimpedance analysis in men with prostate cancer.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to determine the percentage of body fat (%BF) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) using a standard adult equation and BIA using a standard geriatric equation in a population of older men with prostate cancer and to compare the results from these different methods. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional study in 38 men with locally advanced, node-positive, or recurrent prostate cancer and no history of androgen-deprivation therapy. Body composition was evaluated by DXA with the use of a Hologic 4500A densitometer and BIA. BIA %BF was calculated by using standard equations developed for adult and geriatric populations. RESULTS: %BF by DXA, BIA with the standard adult equation, BIA with the standard geriatric equation, and BIA with the age-appropriate equation were 26.7 +/- 5.3%, 22.5 +/- 5.6%, 38.2 +/- 6.9%, and 35.4 +/- 9.6%, respectively. There were statistically significant differences between %BF by DXA and all BIA estimates. By using the methods described by Bland and Altman (Lancet 1986;1(8476):307), the standard adult equation showed the least bias and variability. CONCLUSIONS: In this group of men with prostate cancer, BIA with the standard adult equation provided a reasonable estimate of %BF compared with DXA, although the differences were statistically significant. BIA with the standard geriatric equation, however, markedly overestimated %BF compared with DXA, even when its use was restricted to elderly men.

Effectiveness of a clinical practice guideline for parenteral nutrition: a 5-year follow-up study in a pediatric teaching hospital.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of a clinical practice guideline (CPG) on the use of parenteral nutrition (PN) at a tertiary care pediatric hospital. METHODS: Review of prospectively collected data on hospital-wide PN use 2 years before and 5 years after the establishment of the CPG. Effectiveness of the CPG was measured as the percentage of PN courses lasting fewer than 5 days and the number of PN starts per 1000 patient days. RESULTS: During the study period, 5745 PN courses were administered. The mean (SD) number of PN starts per 1000 inpatient days was 8.86 (0.78) before the CPG and 9.54 (2.49) afterwards (p = .28). The percentage courses of PN lasting for fewer than 5 days declined from 26.3% before the CPG to 18.4% afterwards (p < .0001). A multivariate model confirmed that the rate of short-term PN starts declined after the CPG was issued. The mean (SD) number of PN courses shorter than 5 days in the 2 years before the CPG was 2.33 (0.42) per 1000 patient days versus 1.75 (0.45) in the 5 years after the CPG was instituted (p = .005), which is a 25% decline. The services with the highest volume of PN use showed the most significant decreases in short-term PN use. A cost savings to the hospital of more than $50,000 may have been realized. CONCLUSIONS: In a large pediatric tertiary care hospital, a CPG was successfully deployed. CPGs can favorably affect the use rates and costs of parenteral nutrition.

Determinación del tipo de anemia y su relación con la ingesta alimentaria y marcadores bioquímicos en pacientes con cáncer cérvico uterino / Determination of the type of anemia and its relationship to food consumption and biochemical markers in patients with cervical cancer

Introduction: Anemia is a syndrome frequently present in cancer patients and it effects their quality of life. In cervical cancer, anemia develops in most of the patients, without knowledge of its possible cause: transvaginal bleeding presents in advanced stages, or a diet low in iron and other micronutrients can also contribute to this phenomenon. Objective: To determine the type of anemia, serum levels of iron, ferrite, transferring, folic acid and vitamin B12 and relate them with dietary intake. Material and methods: We conducted a transversal study in 55 cervical cancer patients without neither active transvaginal bleeding nor oncologic treatment. A blood sample was taken in order to determine the biochemical markers from which we classified the type of anemia and serum micronutrient levels. Diet was evaluated using a semi quantitative food frequency questionnaire. Results and conclusions: The most frequent type of anemia as normocytic norm chromic, which can be associated to the pathology per se. Patients with microcytic anemia showed allow iron consumption, as well as low iron serum levels. Overall, daily-recommended allowances were not met; this can contribute to nutritional alterations.

Introducción: La anemia es un síndrome que los pacientes con cáncer presentan frecuentemente, repercutiendo este fenómeno en su calidad de vida. En el cáncer cérvicouterino (CaCu), la anemia se desarrolla en la mayoría de las pacientes sin saber la causa que la produce; como el sangrado que se presenta en estadios avanzados o por el tipo de dieta baja en hierro y otros micronutrimentos. Objetivo: Determinar el tipo de anemia, las concentraciones séricas de hierro sérico, ferritina, transferrina, ácido fólico y vitamina B12 y relacionarlo con la ingestión dietética. Sujetos y métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal, con 55 pacientes con diagnóstico de cáncer cérvico uterino sin sangrado transvaginal presente ni tratamiento oncológico. Se tomó una muestra de sangre a fin de determinar parámetros bioquímicos a partir de los cuales se determinó la presencia de anemia y el tipo de ella, así como concentraciones de micronutrimentos hematopoyéticos. Se aplicó una frecuencia alimentaria semicuantitativa para evaluar la ingestión dietética. Resultados y conclusiones: La anemia de mayor frecuencia fue de tipo normocítica normocrómica, misma que puede asociarse a la patología en curso. Las pacientes con anemia microcítica mostraron concentraciones bajas de hierro sérico, así como un bajo consumo del mismo. En general, no se cubrieron las recomendaciones de ingestión de micronutrimentos, aspecto que puede favorecer las alteraciones nutricionales.

Diferencias en parámetros nutricionales: pacientes con tumor de ovario maligno vs. benigno / Differences in parameters nutritional in patients with malignant ovarian tumor vs. bening tumor

Determinar diferencias en los marcadores del estado de nutrición entre pacientes con diagnóstico de tumor de ovario de acuerdo a su estirpe (benigno o maligno), a manera de sugerir una prueba diagnóstica previa al estudio histopatológico. Se realizó un estudio transversal en él, se evaluó la antropométrica: peso, talla, pliegues cutáneos, y funcional con escala de Karnofsky, bioquímicamente (albúmina, transferrina, proteínas totales, hemoglobina, hematocrito, cuenta linfocitaria total, así como el CA-125 a pacientes con diagnóstico de tumor de ovario. El análisis histopatológico,las pacientes se clasificaron acuerdo a la estirpe tumoral, con el objetivo de comparar los resultados entre ambos grupos (U de Mann-Whitney). Se evaluaron 58 pacientes: 35 de estirpe benigna, 23 maligna. Se obtuvieron diferencias significativas en: albúmina, transferrina y el CA-125. Para estos indicadores se realizaron curvas ROC, donde se encontró (con una sensibilidad mayor de 80 por ciento la posibilidad de asociar la transferrina a la malignidad del tumor. La paciente con tumor de ovario maligno presenta una mayor tendencia a la desnutrición a comparación con pacientes cuya estirpe es benigna. La composición corporal no es significativa en este estudio, pero se recomienda utilizar métodos más fidedignos como el DEXA). No fue posible determinar una prueba diagnóstica, sin embargo, se muestra evidencia de que existen marcadores bioquímicos asociados a la malignidad tumoral.

To determine the nutritional status differences between the patients with ovarian tumor diagnosis, according to their stripes malignancy in benign or malign, in order to suggest a diagnostic test previous to the histopathology study. We conducted a transversal study in which we evaluated patients with ovarian tumor diagnosis by an anthropometric form: Weight, height, skin folds, and the functional (Karnofsky scale), also the biochemical: Albumin, transferrin, total protein, hemoglobine, hematocrite, total lymphocyte count and the CA-125. After the histopathology analysis, the patients were classified according to their tumor’s malignancy, in order to compare the results between the two groups with a Mann-Whitney U test. We assessed 58 patients: 35 with benign tumor, and 23 malignant. We found significant differences in albumin, transferrin and the tumor marker CA-125. For these indicators, we constructed the ROC curves, and finding (with a specificity mayor of 80 per cent) the possibility of associating the transferrin to the tumors’ malignancy. The patients with a malignant ovarian tumor present an increased tendency to the malnutrition, comparing with patients whose tumor is benign. The body composition wasn’t significant in this study’s results, but we recommend using more accurate methods how the DEXA. No diagnostic test was determined, but we found an evidence of the biochemical markers associated to the malignancy of the tumor.