Prevalence of malnutrition in adult patients previously treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem-cell transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Malnutrition is common after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT), and is a well-known prognostic factor for survival. The nutritional status of patients in a long term after allo-HSCT is less well documented. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in adult patients who underwent allo-HSCT more than one year ago. Secondary objectives were to assess body composition, muscle strength, and factors associated with malnutrition. PATIENTS & METHODS: All allo-HSCT patients admitted into the University Hospital of Clermont-Ferrand between 1st January 1985 and 31st December 2012 were screened. Clinical and biological nutritional assessments included anthropometric measurements, serum nutritional proteins, body composition assessed by bioelectrical impedance, and upper-limb muscle strength (MS) measured by dynamometry. Hematological and nutritional data during and after hospital stay for allo-HSCT were retrospectively collected. RESULTS: Eighty four allo-HSCT patients (52% men; mean age 54.4 ± 12.5 years) were enrolled. Average follow-up after allo-HSCT was 56.4 ± 47.5 months. Prevalence of malnutrition at the end of follow-up was 20%. Compared to well-nourished patients (WN group), undernourished patients (UN group) at the end of follow-up were significantly more likely to be undernourished (50% vs. 21%, p = 0.04) at hospital admission, and to have a Nutritional Risk Index of <97.5 (47% vs. 20%, p = 0.004). Compared to a reference population, mid-arm muscle circumference and MS were significantly more likely to be decreased in the UN group than in the WN group (35.3% vs. 8.9%, p = 0.017; 24% vs. 3%, p = 0.005, respectively); fat-free mass index and appendicular skeletal muscle mass index were decreased in 30.5% and 36.6% of all patients, respectively, with no difference between UN and WN groups. Chronic graft-versus-host disease was more frequent, although not significantly in the UN group (76% vs. 52%, p = 0.071). In multivariate analyses, the presence of malnutrition at hospital admission for allo-HSCT trended towards an increased risk of longer-term malnutrition (OR = 3.60 [0.95; 13.67], p = 0.06). CONCLUSION: Malnutrition is a frequent consequence of allo-HSCT, and may occur several months or years after allo-HSCT, particularly if malnutrition existed before allo-HSCT. Our findings support the need for specialized nutritional care for both before and after allo-HSCT. Furthermore, assessment of muscle mass may be a pertinent parameter of malnutrition in this instance.

[Nutritional management for patients hospitalized during allogeneic stem cell transplantation: Guidelines from the Francophone Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (SFGM-TC)]. / Prise en charge nutritionnelle des patients hospitalisés pour allogreffe de CSH : recommandations de la Société francophone de greffe de moelle et de thérapie cellulaire (SFGM-TC).

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is usually applied with success for patients with diseases involving bone marrow and associated with frequent and severe malnutrition. Denutrition is an independent survival factor and contribute to transplant-related mortality. Due to the heaviness of the treatment, this event is frequent. Before allogeneic transplantation, the nutritional statute should be evaluated. The adult or pediatric patient's evaluation modalities and nutritional needs are detailed in this paper. The administration modalities (enteral or parenteral) with doses are specifically precise. We also explain why the enteral nutritional support may remain the best option comparing to parenteral option.

Could enteral nutrition improve the outcome of patients with haematological malignancies undergoing allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation? A study protocol for a randomized controlled trial (the NEPHA study).

BACKGROUND: Myeloablative allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is a major procedure usually accompanied by multifactorial malnutrition, prompting the recommendation of systematic artificial nutritional support. Parenteral nutrition (PN) is usually administered during allo-HSCT, essentially for practical reasons. Recently published data suggest that enteral nutrition (EN), given as systematic artificial nutrition support, could decrease grade III-IV graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) and infectious events, which are associated with early toxicity after allo-HSCT and then have an impact on early transplant-related mortality (D100 mortality). METHODS/DESIGN: We report on the NEPHA trial: an open-label, prospective, randomised, multi-centre study on two parallel groups, which has been designed to evaluate the effect of EN compared to PN on early toxicity after an allo-HSCT procedure. Two hundred forty patients treated with allo-HSCT for a haematological malignancy will be randomly assigned to two groups to receive either EN or PN. The primary endpoint will assess the effect of EN on D100 mortality. Secondary endpoints will compare EN and PN with regards to the main haematological, infectious and nutritional outcomes. DISCUSSION: The impacts of nutritional support should exceed the limits of nutritional status improvement: EN may directly reduce immunological and infectious events, as well as decrease early transplant-related morbidity and mortality. EN and PN need to be prospectively compared in order to assess their impacts and to provide treatment guidelines. (Clinical trials gov number: NCT01955772; registration: July 19th, 2013).

Enteral versus parenteral nutritional support in allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is associated with frequent and severe malnutrition, which may contribute to transplant-related morbidity. While both enteral nutrition (EN) via a nasogastric tube and parenteral nutrition (PN) are effective, it remains unclear what is the optimal method of nutritional support. AIMS: We propose to compare the impact of EN versus PN on early outcome after allo-HSCT. METHODS: We evaluated the effect of initial nutritional support with EN versus PN on early outcome in 56 patients who required nutritional support after first allo-HSCT for haematological malignancies in our centre. Patients were offered EN but could decline and chose to be treated by PN. RESULTS: Twenty patients received myeloablative conditioning and 36 received reduced-intensity conditioning. Twenty-eight patients received EN and 28 received PN. Compared with PN, EN was associated with a lower median duration of fever (2 versus 5 days; p < 0.01), a reduced need for empirical antifungal therapy (7 versus 17 patients; p < 0.01), a lower rate of central venous catheter replacement (9 versus 3 patients; p = 0.051) and a lower rate of transfer to intensive care (2 versus 8 patients; p = 0.036). The early death rate (<100 days) was the same in both groups (14%). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with PN, EN was associated with a lower risk of infection in allo-HSCT, without an increase in the incidence of graft-versus-host disease.