Recomendaciones nutricionales para la atención de personas con infección por COVID-19 / Nutritional recommendations for taking care of infected people with COVID-19

Resumen El día 11 de marzo de 2020 la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS) declaró la enfermedad causada por el virus SARS-Cov2, COVID-19, como pandemia. La misma tiene distintas formas de presentación desde ser asintomática a formas leves atendidas en domicilio o internación para confinamiento, hasta formas complicadas en salas de clínica o requiriendo cuidados intensivos. La obesidad (especialmente, IMC>40 kg/m2) toma relevancia en esta enfermedad siendo un predictor independiente fuerte de hospitalización y agravamiento, después de la edad. Otras comorbilidades como la hipertensión arterial, diabetes y otras enfermedades cardiovasculares son también importantes en este contexto. El siguiente artículo de revisión intenta evaluar y resumir las distintas recomendaciones de atención nutricional publicadas, tanto por sociedades científicas como equipos de profesionales de instituciones sanitarias de diferentes países de la región y el mundo, así como dentro de nuestro país. El proceso de implementación del plan nutricional debe abarcar no sólo a aquellas personas hospitalizadas sino también a aquellos sujetos infectados con formas leves. El plan de atención nutricional debe estar integrado por cuatro etapas: evaluación del estado nutricional, diagnóstico nutricional, intervención y monitoreo/evaluación de los resultados, con especial atención en el cuidado del paciente en sala de cuidados intensivos. No habiendo recomendaciones espe- cíficas hasta la fecha, se sugiere adecuar las recomendaciones actuales para atención de adultos mayores, pacientes polimórbidos internados y pacientes críticos. La atención de estos grupos por profesionales de la nutrición se hace imperante para adecuar la alimentación a la sintomatología y estado de cada paciente en particular. Además, es fundamente el monitoreo al alta, dando puntual seguimiento a la recuperación y rehabilitación del estado nutricional, especialmente de la masa muscular que pudo haberse deteriorado durante la internación.

Abstract On March 11th, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the disease caused by the SARS- Cov2 virus, COVID-19, as a pandemic. The presentation can range from being asymptomatic or mild home care stages or isolation, to complicated forms in clinic rooms or requiring intensive care units. Obesity (especially, BMI >40 kg / m2) is relevant in this disease, being a strong independent predictor of hospitalization and aggravation, following age. Other comorbidities such as high blood pressure, diabetes and other cardiovascular diseases are also important in this context. The following article aims at evaluating and summarizing the different nutritional care recommendations published both by scientific societies and professionals from health institutions in different countries of the region and the world, as well as within our country. The implementation process of the nutritional plan must include not only those hospitalized, but also the people infected with mild forms. The nutritional care process must include four stages: nutritional status assessment, nutritional diagnosis, intervention and monitoring / evaluation of the results, with special attention to patients in the intensive care units. As there are no specific recommendations to date, it is suggested to adapt the current recommendations for the care of the elderly, hospitalized polymorbid patients and critically ill patients. The attention of these groups by nutrition professionals is imperative to adapt the diet to the symptoms and condition of each individual patient. In addition, discharge monitoring is essential, giving timely follow-up to recovery and rehabilitation of the nutritional status, especially of the muscle mass that may have deteriorated during hospitalization.

Short communication: fasting increases serum concentrations of bilirubin in patients receiving atazanavir: results from a pilot study.

Unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia resulting from therapy with atazanavir is physiologically related to hyperbilirubinemia in Gilbert's syndrome (GS). In patients with GS, changes in diet have a significant impact on bilirubinemia. Our aim was to investigate whether changes in diet affect the level of serum bilirubin in patients receiving atazanavir. Thirty patients on stable therapy with ritonavir-boosted atazanavir without evidence of GS were enrolled. Hemolysis and chronic hepatitis were excluded. After a baseline period of normal intake of calories, the patients were randomized to follow a 24-h 400-calorie diet (fasting), then a 48-h period of normal calorie intake and, afterward, a 24-h period of a high-calorie diet, or the same interventions in inverse order. Serum bilirubin concentrations were measured before and after each intervention. A high adherence to the recommended diet was observed. The mean unconjugated bilirubin concentration before the high-calorie diet was 2.79±1.53 mg/dl and after such intervention it was 2.70±1.40 mg/dl. The mean difference between preintervention and postintervention was -0.08±0.69 mg/dl (p=NS). The mean unconjugated bilirubin concentration before the fasting diet was 2.31±1.23 mg/dl and it was 3.84±1.90 mg/dl after. The mean difference between prefasting and postfasting was 1.53±1.17 mg/dl (p=0.001). According to these results, short periods of fasting seem to increase the unconjugated bilirubin concentration in patients on atazanavir. A high-calorie diet did not have any impact in bilirubin probably because most patients follow similar diets in their everyday life.

Nutritional status in patients with HIV infection and AIDS.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional status of adults with HIV infection or with AIDS through the use of biochemical parameters. The study was performed on 43 patients (19 HIV+ and 24 AIDS patients), between 26 and 44 years of age, from low and medium socioeconomic status, with access to health care services; 35 patients were under highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) treatment. Body weight and height were determined, and the Body Mass Index calculated (kg/m2). Blood samples were collected from fasting patients. Plasma cholesterol (total, HDL and LDL), triacylglycerol, total protein, apolipoproteins A-I and B, albumin, transthyretin, retinol binding protein, and ceruloplasmin concentrations were determined. Plasma levels of zinc, copper, and selenium were determined in a haemolysis-free sample by flame atomic absorption spectrometry. Statistical analyses were performed with the Student's t-test. AIDS patients showed changes in biochemical parameters, particularly an increase in fibrinogen and a trend to decreased transthyretin levels. These findings stress the importance of the inclusion of functional biochemical parameters in the periodic evaluation of these patients. This would allow an early assessment of the need for appropriate nutritional support, implemented along with the specific retroviral treatment. This would aim at delaying the progression of the disease, and might improve the prospects of survival and quality of life.