[Validation of a questionnaire for the analysis of digital competence in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus]. / Validación de un cuestionario para analizar la capacidad digital de pacientes con diabetes mellitus tipo 1.

OBJECTIVE: Validation of a questionnaire designed to stratify the level of digital competence in chronic patients. METHOD: Cross-sectional study, carried out in the Endocrinology and Nutrition Section of the Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León (CAULE). We selected the digital competencies section of the Cambados questionnaire, designed for the identification of digital chronic patient, with a maximum score of 20 points. The questionnaire was completed for validation by patients for whom were prescribed a digital tool for glycemic control. Reliability was assessed by assessing the correct use of the prescribed tool and internal consistency. RESULTS: The questionnaire was completely filled in by 171 patients, with a mean age of 44.36 (SD 17.36). The mean score obtained in the questionnaire was 11.04 (SD 4.74) and a score over 12 was the most appropriate cut-off point to discriminate between patients according to their level of digital competence. 48.54% of the patients made adequate use of the tool. The scale showed good internal consistency with a Cronbach's alpha of 0.77. CONCLUSIONS: The results reached in the present study allow us to affirm that the responses obtained from the patients in the digital competency definition questionnaire are a good indicator of the use of digital tools.

Texture-Modified Diet for Improving the Management of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Nursing Home Residents: An Expert Review.

OBJECTIVES: This paper provides evidence-based and, when appropriate, expert reviewed recommendations for long-stay residents who are prescribed texture-modified diets (TMDs), with the consideration that these residents are at high risk of worsening oropharyngeal dysphagia (OD), malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, and OD-associated mortality, poorer quality of life and high costs. DESIGN: Nestlé Health Science funded an initial virtual meeting attended by all authors, in which the unmet needs and subsequent recommendations for OD management were discussed. The opinions, results, and recommendations detailed in this paper are those of the authors, and are independent of funding sources. SETTING: OD is common in nursing home (NH) residents, and is defined as the inability to initiate and perform safe swallowing. The long-stay NH resident population has specific characteristics marked by a shorter life expectancy relative to community-dwelling older adults, high prevalence of multimorbidity with a high rate of complications, dementia, frailty, disability, and often polypharmacy. As a result, OD is associated with malnutrition, dehydration, aspiration pneumonia, functional decline, and death. Complications of OD can potentially be prevented with the use of TMDs. RESULTS: This report presents expert opinion and evidence-informed recommendations for best practice on the nutritional management of OD. It aims to highlight the practice gaps between the evidence-based management of OD and real-world patterns, including inadequate dietary provision and insufficient staff training. In addition, the unmet need for OD screening and improvements in therapeutic diets are explored and discussed. CONCLUSION: There is currently limited empirical evidence to guide practice in OD management. Given the complex and heterogeneous population of long-stay NH residents, some 'best practice' approaches and interventions require extensive efficacy testing before further changes in policy can be implemented.

Role of Oral Nutritional Supplements Enriched with ß-Hydroxy-ß-Methylbutyrate in Maintaining Muscle Function and Improving Clinical Outcomes in Various Clinical Settings.

Aging and disease-related malnutrition are well associated with loss of muscle mass and function. Muscle mass loss may lead to increased health complications and associated increase in health care costs, especially in hospitalized individuals. High protein oral nutritional supplements enriched with ß-hydroxy-ß-methylbutyrate (HP-ONS+HMB) have been suggested to provide benefits such as improving body composition, maintaining muscle mass and function and even decreasing mortality rates. The present review aimed to examine current evidence on the effect of HP-ONS+HMB on muscle-related clinical outcomes both in community and peri-hospitalization patients. Overall, current evidence suggests that therapeutic nutrition such as HP-ONS+HMB seems to be a promising tool to mitigate the decline in muscle mass and preserve muscle function, especially during hospital rehabilitation and recovery.

Clinical and financial implications of disease-related malnutrition in a department of Internal Medicine: prospective cohort study. / Repercusiones clínicas y económicas de la desnutrición relacionada con la enfermedad en un servicio de Medicina Interna: estudio de cohortes prospectivas.

BACKGROUND: Disease-related malnutrition is a challenge for Spanish hospitals. Our objective was to assess the feasibility and importance of establishing a nutritional screening strategy in our community. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A prospective cohort study was conducted in a department of internal medicine for 3 months. The nutritional screening was conducted at admission and was repeated weekly using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool. We analysed the clinical data, mean stay and expenses. RESULTS: The study included 330 patients (53.9% men), with a mean age of 77.8 years. The mean stay was 7 days, and the Charlson comorbidity index was 5.4. At admission, the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool detected 26.9% of patients with a risk of malnutrition. Eighteen percent of the patients with a good nutritional state developed malnutrition during the hospitalisation. The patients with initially severe malnutrition had a longer mean stay. The patients whose nutritional state worsened during the hospitalisation had a significantly longer stay (2.5 days) compared with those whose state did not worsen. These cases of malnutrition caused a cost overrun of €767 per hospitalisation (35% greater), which entailed a malnutrition-related excess expenditure of €646,419.93 annually in the studied department. The appropriate coding resulted in an increase in mean weight from 2.11 to 2.81, which represented €82,568.52 and has not been previously quantified. CONCLUSION: The high prevalence and clinical and financial implications of Disease-related malnutrition in patients hospitalised in internal medicine warrants establishing protocols for its early detection and treatment.

Osteoporosis Management in a Real Clinical Setting: Heterogeneity in Intervention Approach and Discrepancy in Treatment Rates when Compared with the NOGG and NOF Guidelines.

Objective: The National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG) proposes intervention thresholds that vary by age. Instead, the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) proposes a fixed threshold for decision. The aim of the present study was to compare the actual therapeutic decisions taken in a routine clinical practice setting with those recommended by the NOF and NOGG guidelines. Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in individuals referred to a densitometric unit who were not receiving antiresorptive therapy. The absolute risk of major and hip fracture was calculated using the British formula provided by the FRAX® tool. NOGG and NOF guidelines' therapeutic intervention thresholds were used. Agreement was calculated using Cohen's kappa. Results: A total of 640 individuals were included, of which 95% were women, with a median age of 59.4 (IQR=14) years. 31.7% of subjects who were analyzed received treatment for osteoporosis. The type of treatment that was mainly prescribed (71.9%) consisted of bisphosphonates. When applying the NOGG criteria, treatment was recommended in 22.7% of cases; this percentage increased to 42.2% with the NOF guidelines. According to both guidelines, 20.4% of patients would not have received treatment. The concordance, expressed as the kappa index, was low; 0.25 (CI 95% 0.17-0.34) and 0.49 (CI 95% 0.42-0.55), with the NOGG and NOF, respectively. Conclusions: Important heterogeneity exists in the treatment of osteoporosis in real practice. The choice of guideline has a major impact on the proportion and selection of individuals recommended for treatment and, subsequently, on treatment-related expenditures.

Inflammatory status is different in relationship to insulin resistance in severely obese people and changes after bariatric surgery or diet-induced weight loss.

AIM: To assess if insulin resistance is related to a different inflammatory status (especially lymphocyte subpopulations) in severely obese people and to evaluate changes after weight loss either following a very-low calorie diet (VLCD) or bariatric surgery. RESEARCH METHODS & PROCEDURES: Severely obese patients were consecutively recruited in our Obesity Unit. Blood lymphocyte subpopulations and inflammatory parameters were measured baseline, after a VLCD during 6 weeks and one year after biliopancreatic diversion. Insulin resistance was evaluated by Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) index. RESULTS: After excluding diabetic patients, 58 patients were studied. HOMA index classified 63.8% of them as insulin resistant (IR). Serum baseline levels of inflammatory cytokines were not significantly different between IR and insulinsensitive (IS) patients but, regarding lymphocyte subpopulations, Natural Killer (NK) cells were higher in IR patients [(305.0 (136.7) vs. 235.0 (80.7) cells/µL, p=0.047]. NK cells showed a significant positive correlation with HOMA index (r=0.484, p=0.000) and with the carbohydrate content of the diet (r=0.420, p=0.001). After VLCD, NK cells significantly decreased, but only in IR patients and in those losing more than 10% of their initial weight. After biliopancreatic diversion, total and CD8 T Lymphocytes, B lymphocytes and NK cells also decreased but only in IR individuals. CONCLUSION: NK cells are significantly increased in IR severely obese people in respect to IS, suggesting a slightly different immune status in these patients with a probable dietary relationship. Weight loss could reverse this increase either after VLCD or after bariatric surgery.

[Effects of preoperative weight loss with a very low calorie diet (VLCD) on weight loss after biliopancreatic diversion in patients with severe obesity]. / Efectos de la pérdida de peso mediante una dieta muy baja en calorías (VLCD) sobre la pérdida de peso tras derivación biliopancreática en pacientes con obesidad severa.

BACKGROUND: Weight loss before bariatric surgery, achieved by means of a very low calorie diet (VLCD) has been recently reported to be related to a lower rate of postoperative complications. However, it is controversial if preoperative weight loss after VLCD could improve postoperative weight loss. AIMS: To assess the effectiveness of a preoperative VLCD for 6 weeks in weight loss one year after bariatric surgery. To evaluate the changes obtained in anthropometric measures and biochemical parameters after VLCD. METHODS: Prospective uncontrolled study including severely obese patients undergoing biliopancreatic diversion in our Obesity Unit in 2008-2010. Patients included followed a VLCD providing 840 kcal and 60 g of protein (Optisource®). Descriptive data are presented as mean (standard deviation) and after checking a normal distribution is followed, they were analyzed by Student s T test, ANOVA or Pearson correlation. RESULTS: We evaluated 107 obese patients, 43.5 (10.2) years-old, 72% women, with initial weight 122.4 (18.6) Kg and BMI 46.8 (5.5) kg/m(2). 24.5% of them lost more than 10 % of initial weight and 73.5% more than 5% after following VLCD. Mean percentage of excess weight loss (% PSP) one year after surgery was 59.6 (13.4)%, and although it was higher for those patients losing more weight after VLCD, a significant correlation was not found: those who lost more than 5% showed %PSP 59.5 (13.8) % after twelve months and 68.4 (16.2) % of percentage of excess BMI loss (%PEIMC), vs 57,9 (13,1) % and 68.5 (16.6) % if they didn t lose that amount of weight. Those patients losing more than 10% achieved %PSP 63.3 (13.7) and %PEIMC 70.9 (14.7) vs 58.2 (14.0) y 67.7 (16.7) vs those not losing that amount. Significant correlations between preoperative loss with VLCD and %PSP or %PEIMC at 3,6,9 and 12 months were not found, and only %PSP 1 month after surgery correlated with %PSP after VLCD (r = 0.454, p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Preoperative weight loss with VLCD in severely obese patients did not show to improve either %PSP or %PEIMC one year after bariatric surgery.

Introducción: Se ha comunicado recientemente que la reducción de peso previa a cirugía bariátrica mediante dieta muy baja en calorías (VLCD) durante 2 semanas supone menor tasa de complicaciones postoperatorias. Es debatido, sin embargo, si la pérdida de peso preoperatoria con VLCD puede favorecer pérdida de peso postoperatoria. Objetivos: Valorar la eficacia de una VLCD, seguida durante 6 semanas preoperatorias, en el descenso de peso conseguido al 2013 de la cirugía bariátrica. Evaluar los cambios en parámetros antropométricos y bioquímicos conseguidos con dicha dieta. Metodología: Estudio prospectivo no controlado en los pacientes obesos sometidos a derivación biliopancréatica en la Unidad de Obesidad de referencia en el periodo 2008-2010. Los pacientes recibieron durante 6 semanas previas a la intervención una VLCD que aportaba diariamente 840 kcal y 60 g de proteínas (Optisource®). Los datos descriptivos se presentan como media y desviación estándar (DS), y tras comprobar su distribución normal, fueron analizados mediante prueba t de Student, ANOVA o correlación de Pearson. Resultados: Fueron valorados 107 pacientes obesos, de 43,5 (10,2) 2013s, el 72 % fueron mujeres con peso inicial 122,4 (18,6) Kg e IMC de 46,8 (5,5) kg/m2. Un 24,5% perdieron más de 10 % de su peso inicial y un 73,5% más de 5% tras VLCD. La media de porcentaje pérdida de exceso de peso (% PSP) a los 12 meses de la intervención fue 59,6 (13,4)%, y aunque fue mayor en los pacientes que habían perdido peso con VLCD, no se asoció de forma significativa: aquellos pacientes con pérdida mayor de 5% perdieron a los 12 meses 59,5 (13,8)% de PSP y 68,4 (16,2) % de exceso de IMC (%PEIMC), frente a 57,9 (13,1) % y 68,5 (16,6) % si no conseguían esa pérdida. El grupo de pacientes con pérdida mayor de 10 % consiguió %PSP de 63,3 (13,7) y %PEIMC de 70,9 (14,7) vs 58,2 (14,0) y 67,7 (16,7) si no perdieron >10% del peso inicial. No se encontró correlación entre la pérdida preoperatoria con VLCD y %PSP ni de exceso de IMC (%PEIMC) a 3,6,9 y 12 meses, sólo el %PSP a 1 mes se correlacionó con %PSP con VLCD (r = 0,454, p = 0,003). Conclusiones: La pérdida de peso preoperatoria mediante VLCD en pacientes obesos mórbidos no hademostrado favorecer la pérdida de exceso de peso ni de exceso de IMC al 2013 de la cirugía bariátrica.

One-year effectiveness of two hypocaloric diets with different protein/carbohydrate ratios in weight loss and insulin resistance / Efectividad a un año de dos dietas hipocalóricas con diferente proporción de proteínas y carbohidratos en la pérdida de peso y en la resistencia a la insulina

Background: The maintenance of weight loss may be influenced by the distribution of macronutrients in the diet and insulin sensitivity. Objective: The objective of the study was to evaluate the longterm effect of two hypocaloric diets with different protein/carbohydrate ratios in overweight and obese individuals either with insulin resistance (IR) or without insulin resistance (IS). Design: Prospective, randomized, clinical intervention study. Forty patients were classified as IR/IS after a 75 g oral glucose tolerance test and then randomized to a diet with either 40% carbohydrate/30% protein/30% fat (diet A) or 55% carbohydrate/15% protein/30% fat (diet B). Results: After one year of follow-up there was no difference in weight loss between diets A and B in each group, but the IS group maintained weight loss better than the IR group [-5.7 (3.9) vs. -0.6 (4.1); P = 0.04]. No differences were found in either Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) or other metabolic glucose parameters except lower insulin at 120 minutes with diet A [21.40 (8.30) vs. 71.40 (17.11); P = 0.02]. Conclusions: The hypocaloric diets with different protein/carbohydrate ratios produced similar changes in weight. Insulin resistance may play a negative role in maintaining weight loss (AU)

Introducción: El mantenimiento de la pérdida de peso puede estar influido por la distribución de macronutrientes en la dieta y la sensibilidad a la insulina. Objetivo: El objetivo del estudio fue evaluar el efecto a largo plazo de dos dietas hipocalóricas con diferente distribución de proteínas y carbohidratos (HCO) en individuos con sobrepeso y obesos ya fuese con resistencia a la insulina (IR) o sin resistencia a la insulina (IS). Metodología: Estudio prospectivo, aleatorizado, de intervención clínica. Cuarenta pacientes fueron clasificados como IR / IS después de una prueba de tolerancia oral de 75 g de glucosa y luego asignados al azar a una dieta con 40% de HCO/ 30% proteína /30% grasa (dieta A) o el 55% HCO /15% proteína /30% grasa (dieta B). Resultados: Tras un año de seguimiento, no se observaron diferencias en la pérdida de peso entre las dietas A y B en cada grupo, pero el grupo IS mantuvo la pérdida de peso mejor que el grupo IR [-5,7 (3,9) vs -0,6 (4,1), p = 0,04]. No se encontraron diferencias en ninguno en el Homeostasis Model Assessment (HOMA) u otros parámetros metabólicos de glucosa excepto en una insulina inferior a los 120 minutos con la dieta A [21,40 (8,30) vs 71,40 (17,11), p = 0,02]. Conclusiones: Las dietas hipocalóricas con diferentes proporciones de proteínas y carbohidratos produjeron cambios similares en el peso. La resistencia a la insulina puede jugar un papel negativo en el mantenimiento de la pérdida de peso (AU)

Accuracy of ultrasound elastography in the diagnosis of thyroid cancer in a low-risk population.

OBJECTIVE: Stiffness has been associated to malignancy in prostate and breast, as well as thyroid. Ultrasound elastography objectively measures tissue elasticity, and previous studies have described it as a high sensitivity and specificity technique for the detection of malignant thyroid nodules in high-risk populations. The aim was to assess the accuracy of elastography in a population with low risk of malignancy. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: 128 consecutive patients with nodular goiter were recruited. Elastography and ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration were performed. When malignancy was suspected by citology, surgery was recommended. Thyroid nodules were classified by elastography according the criteria described by Ueno, and an alternative classification. Sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and odds ratio were calculated. RESULTS: Most patients were female, aged 56.1 year, with single nodule (52.0%) or multinodular goiter (45.6%), and a few thyroiditis (2.4%). The majority of nodules were mostly elastic. Fine-needle aspiration found 86% of benign nodules, 9.3% of indeterminate, and 4.7% possibly malignant. After surgery, 3 malignant nodules were confirmed, all of them being papillary carcinomas. All the malignant nodules were mostly elastic, as well as 75% of indeterminate nodules. Low values of sensitivity and specificity were found for elastic nodules being benign and hard nodules malignant. CONCLUSION: In a low-risk population for thyroid cancer, elastography lacks accuracy for the diagnosis of malignant nodules.

Comparison of different body composition measurements in severely obese patients in the clinical setting.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Body composition measurements seem to be not reliable enough in obese patients. Our aim was to compare single frequency-bioelectrical impedance (SF-BIA) analysis; foot-to-foot impedance meters (FFI) or upper body fat analysers (UBFA) and DXA (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) in severely obese patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Cross-sectional study including 40 severely obese patients. Bioelectrical impedance was performed for SF-BIA (Holtain (H) and OMRON BF 500 (O500)), FFI (Tanita TBF-300 (T)) and UBFA (Omron BF 300 (O300)). DXA scans were performed using a Lunar iDXA. The data were analysed using Pearson's correlation and Bland Altman plots were also drawn to evaluate any agreements. RESULTS: The percentage and total body fat values were 49.2% and 55.2 kg measured with DXA, 44.3%/53.4 kg with O300, 50.6%/58.3 kg with O500, 45.4%/55.4 kg with H and 49.1%/60.3 kg with T. The Holtain BIA showed the worst correlation with DXA for both %BF and FFM. Although the measurements of % body fat, fat mass and fat-free mass were significantly correlated with DXA, each method showed wide limits of agreement, although T was most closely correlated with DXA. CONCLUSION: Compared to DXA, FFI and UBFA could be useful for assessing body composition in severely obese people, although they appeared to underestimate %BF and FM and their limits of agreement were too wide.

[Impact of nutritional treatment in the evolution of inflammatory bowel disease]. / Impacto de la nutrición en la evolución de la enfermedad inflamatoria intestinal.

Inflammatory bowel disease is an entity with not wellknown pathogenesis, and important nutritional and metabolic implications because of the high prevalence of malnutrition, the possible implication of dietary factors in its pathogenesis and because of the hypothesis that nutritional intervention could be a primary treatment for the disease. Some nutrients could induce a low antigenic stimuli, regulate inflammatory and immunological responses and stimulate intestinal mucosal trophism. Present available evidence supports enteral nutrition in Crohn's disease as a primary treatment if treatment with steroids is not possible (failure or contraindication) (grade of recommendation A) or either combined treatment with drugs in malnourished patients or those with inflammatory bowel stenosis. In those patients with sustained clinical remission, no benefit of either enteral nutrition or supplements in the absence of nutritional deficits has been shown. Elemental or modified formula (glutamine, omega 3 fatty acids) could not be recommended. In ulcerative colitis, nutritional influence over the activity of the disease has not been shown, although there are some promising results regarding enteric coated W3 fatty acids and a possible role for probiotics. In the treatment and prevention of pouchitis, there could be a role for probiotics (VSL#3). Nutritional treatment should be considered an integral component in the Management of patients with inflammatory bowel disease.

[Effectiveness of dietetic treatment in nephrotic syndrome]. / Eficacia del tratamiento dietético en el síndrome nefrótico.

We present the case of a male patient suffering from a primary amyloidosis and a nephrotic syndrome who came to dietotherapy clinic. In the first visit we made a nutritional record including an anthropometric evaluation, body composition, biochemistry, and food intake. The patient had an excess of body water, proteinuria, low plasma protein, albumin, prealbumin and HDL cholesterol levels, and high concentrations of total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides. The consumption of protein and sodium was higher than the recommendation. An individualized diet was made. Six months later, his weight and the excess of body water decreased, but the fat free mass remained unchanged. The levels of albumin and prealbumin increased, the proteinuria decreased. Total cholesterol, LDL and triglycerides decreased until normal levels. Dietetary treatment in nephrotic syndrome is effective to decrease proteinuria, improve cholesterol and triglycerides levels, and to prevent malnutrition.

[Short bowel syndrome: definition, causes, intestinal adaptation and bacterial overgrowth]. / Sindrome de intestino corto: definición, causas, adaptación intestinal y sobrecrecimiento bacteriano.

The short bowel syndrome (SBS) is a complex entity due to anatomical or functional loss of part of the small bowel originating a clinical picture with severe metabolic and nutritional impairments due to reduction of the effective absorptive surface area of the gut. SBS is one of the causes of a larger entity known as "intestinal failu-Currently, mesenteric vascular accidents are the main cause in adults, followed by inflammatory bowel disease, and radiation enteritis, whereas in children, the main causes are congenital and perinatal diseases. The clinical picture associated with SBS varies according to the length and location of affected small bowel, the presence of underlying disease, the presence or absence of the large bowel and ileocecal valve, and the nature of the underlying disease. Intestinal adaptation is the process by which, throughout 1-2 years, intestinal absorption is reestablished to the situation prior to intestinal resection, and is a key factor determining whether a patient with SBS will progress to intestinal failure and depend on DPN. Intestinal adaptation may take place if the patient does oral intake higher than the usual one (hyperphagia); besides, the bowel may also adapt to secure a more effective absorption per surface area unit, either by increasing the absorptive surface area (structural adaptation) and/or slowing intestinal transit (functional adaptation). These changes are not still clearly established in humans, but there are so in animal models. The presence of nutrients within the intestinal lumen and certain gastrointestinal hormones, particularly GLP-2, have an influence on a successful adaptation process. Patients with SBS are prone to the occurrence of bacterial overgrowth that makes adaptation difficult and worsens the symptoms, besides being a factor for dependence on parenteral nutrition.

Dietas bajas en hidratos de carbono frente a dietas bajas en grasas / Low carbohydrate diets versus low fat diets

El importante aumento de la prevalencia de la obesidad durante las últimas décadas en el mundo occidental impulsa la creación de estrategias terapéuticas que ayuden a su control. La eficacia real de cualquier tratamiento médico dependerá de su cumplimiento. En el caso de la obesidad, el cumplimiento dependerá de la motivación del paciente para perder peso y de las características intrínsecas del propio plan dietético y se reforzará con la eficacia del propio tratamiento. Los tratamientos con dietas bajas en hidratos de carbono se han propuesto como alternativa en los últimos años a las tradicionales hipocalóricas y hipograsas. Desde 2003, varios estudios aleatorizados de más de 6 meses de duración abordan su eficacia comparándolas con otras estrategias nutricionales. Como conclusión, independientemente de otras consideraciones metabólicas, se constata que la disminución ponderal lograda a los 12 meses no es superior con las dietas bajas en hidratos de carbono respecto a otras alternativas, fundamentalmente por no estimular la adherencia al plan dietético

The substantial increase in the prevalence of the obesity in the Western world over the past few decades has prompted the creation of strategies to help control this problem. The real effectiveness of any medical therapy will depend on adherence to the treatment prescribed. In the case of obesity, adherence will depend on the patient's motivation to lose weight and on the intrinsic characteristics of the reducing diet, and will be reinforced by positive results. In recent years, low carbohydrate diets have been proposed as an alternative to the traditional low energy and low fat diets. Since 2003, several randomized studies lasting more than 6 months have assessed their efficacy by comparing them with other nutritional strategies. In conclusion, independently of other metabolic considerations, weight loss at 12 months was no greater with low carbohydrate diets than with other alternatives, fundamentally because of low adherence to the diet itself

Nutrición basada en la evidencia en las enfermedades neurológicas / Evidence-based nutrition in neurological diseases

Las enfermedades neurológicas suponen una causa importante de morbilidad en los países desarrollados y, con frecuencia, conllevan alteraciones en el nivel de conciencia o en los mecanismos de la deglución que pueden hacer necesario un soporte nutricional artificial. La presente revisión tratará de evaluar, basándose en la mejor evidencia científica disponible, el soporte nutricional en la enfermedad cerebrovascular aguda, la demencia y la esclerosis lateral amiotrófica, así como la utilidad de la dieta cetogénica en el tratamiento de la epilepsia. Se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica en MEDLINE (PubMed) y en la Cochrane Library Plus en español, y se seleccionaron estudios clínicos aleatorizados, revisiones sistemáticas y metaanálisis. Existen escasos ensayos prospectivos aleatorizados sobre soporte nutricional en enfermedades neurológicas. El estudio FOOD muestra que la sonda nasogástrica es mejor vía que la gastrostomía endoscópica percutánea para la nutrición enteral en el primer mes tras un ictus. En el caso de la demencia y otras enfermedades neurodegenerativas, las evidencias disponibles son débiles. No hay pruebas fiables procedentes de ensayos controlados aleatorizados que apoyen el uso de dietas cetogénicas en los pacientes con epilepsia (AU)

Neurological disease causes considerable morbidity in developed countries and frequently leads to alterations in the level of consciousness or in the mechanisms of swallowing, which may necessitate artificial nutritional support. The present review aims to evaluate nutritional support in acute cerebral vascular disease, dementia and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as the utility of a ketogenic diet in the treatment of epilepsy, based on the best available scientific evidence. A literature search was performed in Medline (PubMed) and in the Cochrane Library Plus in Spanish. Randomized clinical studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses were selected. There are few prospective randomized studies on nutritional support in neurological diseases. The FOOD study shows that the nasogastric tube is a better route of administration than percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy for enteral nutrition in the first month after stroke. In the case of dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases, the available evidence is weak. There are no reliable data from randomized controlled trials that support the use of ketogenic diets in patients with epilepsy (AU)

Déficit nutricionales carenciales / Nutritional deficiency disease

Los micronutrientes, vitaminas y minerales, son compuestos necesarios para mantener un estado fisiológico adecuado. Su carencia ocasiona un síndrome complejo de síntomas y signos, bien caracterizado para cada vitamina y mineral, y que evoluciona en 3 etapas: depleción de las reservas, disfunción bioquímica y, finalmente, estado carencial, que puede manifestarse en cualquier órgano o sistema. En la actualidad, las enfermedades carenciales sólo se dan, en el caso de los países occidentales, en ciertos grupos de riesgo, pero aún siguen siendo un problema sanitario importante en países subdesarrollados. El diagnóstico de las carencias nutricionales comienza con la identificación de situaciones de riesgo nutricional. La anamnesis y una exploración física cuidadosa del paciente son clave en su detección (AU)

[Hashimoto's encephalopathy]. / Encefalopatía de Hashimoto.

Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis is a common cause of thyroid disease. Neurological dysfunction related to thyroid hypo or hyperfunction is well known. Not so is autoimmune thyroid disease-associated or Hashimoto's encephalopathy, which includes different neurological manifestations appearing in the context of autoimmune thyroiditis with normal hormone levels. Around fifty cases have been reported since the first description by Brain in 1966. Pathogenesis is unknown, although the most accepted theory points out to an autoimmune cerebral dysfunction. There are two different clinical presentations. The vasculitic type is characterized by relapsing-remitting stroke-like episodes. The diffuse-progressive type shows insidious cognitive impairment, confusion, psychosis, somnolence and coma. Cerebrospinal fluid is abnormal in more than 80% of patients, with high protein levels and mononuclear pleocytosis. Steroids are the treatment of choice, although favourable evolution have been reported spontaneously or after thyroxine treatment.

Encefalopatía de Hashimoto / Hashimoto's encephalopathy

La tiroiditis autoinmune de Hashimoto es una causa común de enfermedad tiroidea. Las complicaciones neurológicas asociadas a hipo o hiperfunción tiroidea son bien conocidas. No lo es tanto la denominada encefalopatía autoinmune distiroidea o encefalopatía de Hashimoto, que incluye diferentes cuadros neurológicos que aparecen en el seno de una tiroiditis autoinmune y no se acompañan de una alteración en los valores de las hormonas tiroideas. Se han comunicado alrededor de 50 casos desde su descripción por Brain en 1966. Su patogenia es desconocida, aunque la teoría más aceptada es una afección cerebral autoinmune. Existen dos formas de presentación más o menos diferenciadas. La forma vasculítica se caracteriza por episodios seudoictales y su curso clínico es recidivante-remitente. La variante difusaprogresiva se caracteriza por un inicio insidioso, con deterioro cognitivo acompañado de confusión, psicosis, somnolencia o coma. El líquido cefalorraquídeo (LCR) es anormal en el 80 per cent de los pacientes. El hallazgo más frecuente es una hiperproteinorraquia moderada, que puede acompañarse de pleocitosis mononuclear. Aunque se han comunicado varios casos con evolución favorable espontánea o tras la administración de tiroxina, el tratamiento de elección son los esteroides (AU)

Dietary habits and cardiovascular risk in the Spanish population: the DRECE study (II) micronutrient intake. Dieta y Riesgo de Enfermedades Cardiovasculares en España.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dietary micronutrient intake in the adult Spanish population participating in the DRECE study. METHODS: The cross-sectional study was performed in two stages in 1991 and 1996 in 43 primary care clinics. One thousand two hundred people 'with cardiovascular risk' and 600 'without risk' answered a food frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: Significant increases in vitamin C, retinol, lycopenes, beta-cryptoxanthin and vitamin E intakes were found. Vitamin A, alpha-carotenoid and lutein intakes decreased. Vitamin B(12), B(6) and folic acid intakes increased in people with cardiovascular risk, whereas only the last two increased in the control group. Nearly 100% of the people consumed the recommended dietary allowances for vitamins B(12) and B(6) and >70% for folic acid. Calcium, iron, and zinc intake increased in both groups, but magnesium and selenium intake increased only in people at risk. Vitamin A, B(1) and zinc intakes have decreased, and >50% of the people do not consume the recommended dietary allowance. CONCLUSION: Antioxidant vitamins and vitamin B(12), B(6) and folic acid intakes seem to be adequate in the adult Spanish population, no significant differences appear regarding their cardiovascular risk status. Vitamin A, B(1) and zinc intakes are not appropriate.