Adaptation of nutritional risk screening tools may better predict response to nutritional treatment: a secondary analysis of the randomized controlled trial Effect of early nutritional therapy on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of malnourished medical inpatients Trial (EFFORT).

BACKGROUND: Nutritional screening tools have proven valuable for predicting clinical outcomes but have failed to determine which patients would be most likely to benefit from nourishment interventions. The Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) are 2 of these tools, which are based on both nutritional parameters and parameters reflecting disease severity. OBJECTIVES: We hypothesized that the adaptation of nutritional risk scores, by removing parameters reflecting disease severity, would improve their predictive value regarding response to a nutritional intervention while providing similar prognostic information regarding mortality at short and long terms. METHODS: We reanalyzed data of 2028 patients included in the Swiss-wide multicenter, randomized controlled trial EFFORT (Effect of early nutritional therapy on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of malnourished medical inpatients Trial) comparing individualized nutritional support with usual care nutrition in medical inpatients. The primary endpoint was 30-d all-cause mortality. RESULTS: Although stratifying patients by high compared with low NRS score showed no difference in response to nutritional support, patients with high adapted NRS showed substantial benefit, whereas patients with low adapted NRS showed no survival benefit [adjusted hazard ratio: 0.55 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.37, 0.80]] compared with 1.17 (95% CI: 0.70, 1.93), a finding that was significant in an interaction analysis [coefficient: 0.48 (95% CI: 0.25, 0.94), P = 0.031]. A similar effect regarding treatment response was found when stratifying patients on the basis of MNA compared with the adapted MNA. Regarding the prognostic performance, both original scores were slightly superior in predicting mortality than the adapted scores. CONCLUSIONS: Adapting the NRS and MNA by including nutritional parameters only improves their ability to predict response to a nutrition intervention, but slightly reduces their overall prognostic performance. Scores dependent on disease severity may best be considered prognostic scores, whereas nutritional risk scores not including parameters reflecting disease severity may indeed improve a more personalized treatment approach for nourishment interventions. The trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02517476.

Evaluation of the ASPEN guidelines for refeeding syndrome among hospitalized patients receiving enteral nutrition: A retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Until recently, refeeding syndrome (RFS) has lacked standardized diagnostic criteria. This study sought to (1) determine whether RFS, as operationalized in the 2020 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) guideline definition, is associated with adverse clinical outcomes and (2) identify key risk factors for RFS. METHODS: In this retrospective cohort study, adults hospitalized from 2015 to 2019 were included if they were ordered for enteral feeding during hospitalization. Data were collected for up to 30 days, and RFS was operationalized as per the ASPEN 2020 guidelines as a ≥10% (corresponding to mild RFS), ≥25% (moderate), and ≥50% (severe) decline in prefeeding serum phosphorus, magnesium, or potassium. The mortality associated with RFS was assessed, and risk factors for RFS were identified using multivariable logistic regression modeling. RESULTS: Of 3854 participants, 3480 (90%) developed mild RFS. Thirty-day mortality was higher in those without mild RFS (24%) than in those with mild RFS (18%) (P < 0.01). When RFS was reoperationalized as a 50% decline in electrolytes, 25% of patients developed RFS with a 20% 30-day mortality. Risk factors for development of RFS included renal failure, elevated creatinine, and low platelets; additionally, prefeeding serum phosphorus level was strongly associated with development of RFS (adjusted odds ratio, 6.09; 95% confidence interval, 4.95-7.49 for those in the highest tertile of prefeeding phosphorus compared with the lowest). CONCLUSION: The ASPEN operationalization of RFS as a decline in baseline electrolyte values was not associated with death. Prefeeding serum phosphorus level strongly predicted severe RFS.

Management of disease-related malnutrition for patients being treated in hospital.

Disease-related malnutrition in adult patients who have been admitted to hospital is a syndrome associated with substantially increased morbidity, disability, short-term and long-term mortality, impaired recovery from illness, and cost of care. There is uncertainty regarding optimal diagnostic criteria, definitions for malnutrition, and how to identify patients who would benefit from nutritional intervention. Malnutrition has become the focus of research aimed at translating current knowledge of its pathophysiology into improved diagnosis and treatment. Researchers are particularly interested in developing nutritional interventions that reverse the negative effects of disease-related malnutrition in the hospital setting. High-quality randomised trials have provided evidence that nutritional therapy can reduce morbidity and other complications associated with malnutrition in some patients. Screening of patients for risk of malnutrition at hospital admission, followed by nutritional assessment and individualised nutritional interventions for malnourished patients, should become part of routine clinical care and multimodal treatment in hospitals worldwide.

ASPEN Lipid Injectable Emulsion Safety Recommendations, Part 1: Background and Adult Considerations.

Lipid injectable emulsions (ILEs) are complex pharmaceutical formulations used as a source of energy and essential fatty acids in parenteral nutrition. Issues associated with ILE use are distinctly different from oral fat and arise from emulsion stability, dose, and infusion tolerance. Since 1975, soybean oil has been the consistent source oil used in ILE formulations in the US. Partly because of safety concerns with the soybean-based ILE and frequent and long-standing problems with product inventory shortages, new ILE products have become available. Gaps in ILE best practices create a risk for ILE safety errors in prescribing, compounding, and administration of these products. This paper provides information on appropriate indications, dosing, and methods to avoid potential errors with ILE products in the US. This paper (Part 1) will focus on ILE background, information, and recommendations for adult patients, whereas Part 2 of this series will focus on neonatal and pediatric patient-specific information.

ASPEN Consensus Recommendations for Refeeding Syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: In the spring of 2017, the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) Parenteral Nutrition Safety Committee and the Clinical Practice Committee convened an interprofessional task force to develop consensus recommendations for identifying patients with or at risk for refeeding syndrome (RS) and for avoiding and managing the condition. This report provides narrative review and consensus recommendations in hospitalized adult and pediatric populations. METHODS: Because of the variation in definitions and methods reported in the literature, a consensus process was developed. Subgroups of authors investigated specific issues through literature review. Summaries were presented to the entire group for discussion via email and teleconferences. Each section was then compiled into a master document, several revisions of which were reviewed by the committee. FINDINGS/RECOMMENDATIONS: This group proposes a new clinical definition, and criteria for stratifying risk with treatment and screening strategies. The authors propose that RS diagnostic criteria be stratified as follows: a decrease in any 1, 2, or 3 of serum phosphorus, potassium, and/or magnesium levels by 10%-20% (mild), 20%-30% (moderate), or >30% and/or organ dysfunction resulting from a decrease in any of these and/or due to thiamin deficiency (severe), occurring within 5 days of reintroduction of calories. CONCLUSIONS: These consensus recommendations are intended to provide guidance regarding recognizing risk and identifying, stratifying, avoiding and managing RS. This consensus definition is additionally intended to be used as a basis for further research into the incidence, consequences, pathophysiology, avoidance, and treatment of RS.

Zinc Deficiency With Dermatitis in a Parenteral Nutrition-Dependent Patient Due to National Shortage of Trace Minerals.

The shortages of intravenous drugs remains critical, with sterile injectables accounting for 80% of the approximately 300 shortages. The impact is being felt in patients dependent on parenteral nutrition (PN), and severe deficiencies are becoming more commonplace. We report here a man who developed severe zinc deficiency, manifesting as a painful desquamative rash, due to an inability to obtain multi-trace element additives for his PN.

Supplementation of l-Alanyl-l-Glutamine and Fish Oil Improves Body Composition and Quality of Life in Patients With Chronic Heart Failure.

BACKGROUND: Skeletal muscle dysfunction and exercise intolerance are clinical hallmarks of patients with heart failure. These have been linked to a progressive catabolic state, skeletal muscle inflammation, and impaired oxidative metabolism. Previous studies suggest beneficial effects of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and glutamine on exercise performance and muscle protein balance. METHODS AND RESULTS: In a randomized double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 31 patients with heart failure were randomized to either l-alanyl-l-glutamine (8 g/d) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (6.5 g/d) or placebo (safflower oil and milk powder) for 3 months. Cardiopulmonary exercise testing, dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry, 6-minute walk test, hand grip strength, functional muscle testing, echocardiography, and quality of life and lateral quadriceps muscle biopsy were performed at baseline and at follow-up. Oxidative capacity and metabolic gene expression were analyzed on muscle biopsies. No differences in muscle function, echocardiography, 6-minute walk test, or hand grip strength and a nonsignificant increase in peak VO2 in the treatment group were found. Lean body mass increased and quality of life improved in the active treatment group. Molecular analysis revealed no differences in muscle fiber composition, fiber cross-sectional area, gene expression of metabolic marker genes (PGC1α, CPT1, PDK4, and GLUT4), and skeletal muscle oxidative capacity. CONCLUSIONS: The combined supplementation of l-alanyl-l-glutamine and polyunsaturated fatty acid did not improve exercise performance or muscle function but increased lean body mass and quality of life in patients with chronic stable heart failure. These findings suggest potentially beneficial effects of high-dose nutritional polyunsaturated fatty acids and amino acid supplementations in patients with chronic stable heart failure. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT01534663.

Free Fatty acids and delayed cerebral ischemia after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to understand factors related to increases in serum free fatty acid (FFA) levels and association with delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI) after subarachnoid hemorrhage. METHODS: We performed serial measurement of systemic oxygen consumption by indirect calorimetry and FFA levels by liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry in the first 14 days after ictus in 50 consecutive patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage. Multivariable generalized estimating equation models identified associations with FFA levels in the first 14 days after SAH and Cox proportional hazards model used to identified associations with time to DCI. RESULTS: There were 187 measurements in 50 patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage (mean age, 56±14 years old; 66% women) with a median Hunt-Hess score of 3. Adjusting for Hunt-Hess grade and daily caloric intake, n-6 and n-3 FFA levels were both associated with oxygen consumption and the modified Fisher score. Fourteen (28%) patients developed DCI on median postbleed Day 7. The modified Fisher score (P=0.01), mean n-6:n-3 FFA ratio (P=0.02), and mean oxygen consumption level (P=0.04) were higher in patients who developed DCI. In a Cox proportional hazards model, the mean n-6:n-3 FFA ratio (P<0.001), younger age (P=0.05), and modified Fisher scale (P=0.004) were associated with time to DCI. CONCLUSIONS: Injury severity and oxygen consumption hypermetabolism are associated with higher n-FFA levels and an increased n-6:n-3 FFA ratio is associated with DCI. This may indicate a role for interventions that modulate both oxygen consumption and FFA levels to reduce the occurrence of DCI.