Assessing heavy metal levels in pediatric enteral nutrition formulas available in the Turkish market: Implications for consumer health.

In this study, we assessed the levels of lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg), and inorganic arsenic (iAs) in 27 pediatric enteral nutrition (EN) formulas from five international brands available in the Turkish market. Analysis was conducted using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risk assessment was performed using hazard quotient (HQ), hazard index (HI), carcinogenic risk (CR), Toxicological contribution % of Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) models. Our objective was to evaluate heavy metal exposure in EN formulas, specifically focusing on Cd, Pb, iAs, and Hg levels according to recommended amounts for different age groups based on their energy requirements. Average concentrations of iAs in polymeric (PC), oligomeric (OC), and monomeric (MC) EN formulas were as follows: PC: 2.13 ± 0.16 (

Comparison of four different nutritional risk screening tools in hospitalized children / Comparação de quatro ferramentas diferentes de triagem de risco nutricional em crianças hospitalizadas

ABSTRACT Objective: Early detection of malnutrition risk in hospitalized children can improve health outcomes and quality of life; however, the number of studies where the pediatric screening tool is appropriate for Turkish children is limited. Therefore, this article aims to determine the prevalence of malnutrition risk in pediatric patients evaluated with Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score, and Simple Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool with original and adjusted cutoffs and to evaluate which pediatric screening tool is appropriate for Turkish children. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, four published nutritional risk screening tools (Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score, Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool) were applied to pediatric inpatients (n=604) aged 1 month to 17 years, admitted to a pediatric ward for at least 24 hours. Results: Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool with adjusted cutoffs had the greatest recognition rate (94.2%) of acute malnutrition. Having a high nutritional risk by Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score was associated with an increased risk of acute (OR: 6.57 for Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, 5.84 for Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, and 20.35 for Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score) and chronic malnutrition (OR: 1.27 for Screening Tool for Risk on Nutritional Status and Growth, 3.28 for Screening Tool for the Assessment of Malnutrition in Pediatrics, and 1.72 for Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score). Classifying the at-risk category by the Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool was related to raised odds of malnutrition (OR: 2.64 for original and 5.24 for adjusted cutoffs). This positive association was also observed for acute (OR: 4.07 for original cutoffs, and 28.01 for adjusted cutoffs) and chronic malnutrition (OR: 1.14 for original cutoffs, and 1.67 for adjusted cutoffs). Conclusion: Pediatric Nutrition Screening Tool with adjusted cutoffs and Pediatric Yorkhill Malnutrition Score have higher diagnostic accuracy than other screening tools in assessing the nutritional status of hospitalized Turkish children and detecting children, particularly with acute malnutrition.

RESUMO Objetivo: A detecção precoce do risco de desnutrição em crianças hospitalizadas pode melhorar a saúde e a qualidade de vida, porém o número de estudos em que a ferramenta de triagem pediátrica é apropriada para crianças turcas é limitado. O objetivo deste estudo foi determinar a prevalência do risco de desnutrição em pacientes pediátricos avaliados com Ferramenta de Triagem para Risco no Estado Nutricional e Crescimento, Ferramenta de Triagem para Avaliação de Desnutrição em Pediatria, Escore de Malnutrição Pediátrica de Yorkhill e Ferramenta de Triagem de Nutrição Pediátrica Simples com pontos de corte originais e ajustados para avaliar qual ferramenta de triagem pediátrica é apropriada para crianças turcas. Métodos: Neste estudo transversal, quatro ferramentas de triagem de risco nutricional publicadas (Ferramenta de Triagem para Risco no Estado Nutricional e Crescimento, Ferramenta de Triagem para Avaliação de Desnutrição em Pediatria, Escore de Malnutrição Pediátrica de Yorkhill, Ferramenta de Triagem de Nutrição Pediátrica) foram aplicadas a pacientes pediátricos (n=604) com idades entre 1 mês e 17 anos, internados em uma enfermaria pediátrica por pelo menos 24 horas. Resultados: A Ferramenta de Triagem de Nutrição Pediátrica com pontos de corte ajustados obteve a maior taxa de reconhecimento de desnutrição aguda (94,2%), enquanto a Ferramenta de Triagem para Avaliação de Desnutrição em Pediatria teve a maior taxa na identificação da desnutrição crônica (67,4%). Essas associações positivas foram mais notáveis para desnutrição aguda (OR: 6,57 para Ferramenta de Triagem para Risco no Estado Nutricional e Crescimento, 5,84 para Ferramenta de Triagem para Avaliação de Desnutrição em Pediatria e 20,35 para Escore de Malnutrição Pediátrica de Yorkhill) do que para desnutrição crônica (OR: 1,27 para Ferramenta de Triagem para Risco no Estado Nutricional e Crescimento, 3,28 para Ferramenta de Triagem para Avaliação de Desnutrição em Pediatria e 1,72 para Escore de Malnutrição Pediátrica de Yorkhill). A classificação da categoria de risco pela Ferramenta de Triagem de Nutrição Pediátrica foi relacionada a maiores chances de desnutrição (OR: 2,64 para pontos de corte originais e 5,24 para pontos de corte ajustados). Essa associação positiva também foi observada para desnutrição aguda (OR: 4,07 para pontos de corte originais e 28,01 para pontos de corte ajustados) e crônica (OR: 1,14 para pontos de corte originais e 1,67 para pontos de corte ajustados). Conclusão: A Ferramenta de Triagem de Nutrição Pediátrica com pontos de corte ajustados e Escore de Malnutrição Pediátrica de Yorkhill têm maior precisão diagnóstica do que outras ferramentas de triagem na avaliação do estado nutricional de crianças turcas hospitalizadas e na detecção da desnutrição aguda em particular.

Validity and reliability analysis of the Turkish version of pediatric nutritional risk score scale.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: We aimed to perform the validity and reliability analysis of the Turkish version of the Pediatric Nutritional Risk Score (PNRS). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study group consisted of 149 patients aged between 1 month and 18 years who were admitted to the hospital for at least 48 h. The patients' age, gender, anthropometric measurements, length of stay, admission diagnosis, daily body weights, food consumption, and pain status were recorded. Backward and forward translations into Turkish were done. PNRS was performed by two different physicians. The consistency of the PNRS results was evaluated to determine the validity of PNRS. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated. RESULTS: Of all patients, 69 (46.3%) were female and 80 (53.7%) were male. The mean length of the stay was 7.3±4.0 days. The mean age of the patients was 51.9±63.6 months. The Kappa coefficient between the two physicians was 0.66. Weight loss was observed in 65.2% of the patients in the high-risk group and 25.4% in the low-risk group. The hospital malnutrition rate was 31.5%. A higher risk was identified in those with <50% food intake and more severe disease. The specificity, sensitivity, NPV, and PPV of PNRS were 82.1%, 77.8%, 92.0%, and 58.3%, respectively. CONCLUSION: A good consistency suggests that the Turkish validation was achieved successfully. The power of PNRS to discriminate the patients with moderate-low risk of developing malnutrition is higher than the patients with high risk. PNRS is considered a valid and reliable tool to establish the risk of malnutrition in the hospitalized patients.