Soluble Dietary Fiber Reduces Feeding Intolerance in Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Randomized Study

Risk prediction model for adult intolerance to enteral nutrition feeding - A literature review

Enteral nutrition is an important clinical nutritional supplementation method, especially for adult patients who are unable to eat normally or require additional nutritional support. However, many patients experience intolerance to enteral nutrition, such as delayed gastric emptying, bloating, and diarrhea, which not only affect the patient's nutritional status but also increase the risk of medical complications. In recent years, medical researchers have been dedicated to identifying and analyzing various factors that contribute to enteral nutrition intolerance, including the patient's disease status, nutritional formula, feeding method, and rate. In addition, research is also exploring the establishment of risk prediction models to more accurately predict which patients may develop enteral nutrition intolerance. These models typically combine clinical parameters, biomarkers, and patient individual characteristics, aiming to assist clinicians in better planning and adjusting nutritional treatment plans, thereby reducing the occurrence of intolerance events. This review summarizes the research progress on enteral nutrition intolerance in adult patients, with a focus on the latest developments in intolerance factors and risk prediction models, providing valuable guidance for clinical practice and helping improve patients' nutritional status and overall health.

Investigating key factors of feeding intolerance in severe acute pancreatitis: A scoping review

BACKGROUND

The complexity of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and the stress caused by the disease is associated with a high incidence of feeding intolerance. However, the factors influencing feeding incontinence in patients with SAP are diverse.

AIMS

To systematically analyse relevant studies that investigate the occurrence of feeding intolerance in patients with SAP, identify the relevant factors of feeding intolerance in such patients and provide a reference for nursing staff to develop relevant intervention measures.

DESIGN AND METHODS

This scoping review followed the approach proposed by Arksey and O'Malley. Seven electronic databases were searched from their establishment until August 2023. This included research on the factors influencing feeding intolerance in patients with SAP, determining research questions, completing literature screening and quality evaluation, extracting data and summarizing and analysing the data. The PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) statement has also been included.

RESULTS

A total of 23 articles were included. The factors influencing feeding intolerance in patients with SAP included the patient's condition, disease, treatment, feeding management and follow-up care.

CONCLUSIONS

The factors affecting feeding intolerance in patients with SAP are multifaceted. A personalized nursing care plan should be developed based on relevant risk factors to improve feeding tolerance and comfort in patients with SAP and shorten hospitalization time.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Intensive care nurses should identify the risk factors for feeding intolerance in patients with SAP and implement appropriate interventions. To identify the risk factors, nurses must be updated with courses and training. Moreover, a systematic feeding intolerance prediction program can help intensive care nurses effectively identify the risk factors for feeding.

Early enteral nutrition with fructooligosaccharides improves prognosis in severe acute pancreatitis

Soluble dietary fiber, notably as an adjunct to early enteral nutrition (EEN), is gaining prominence in clinical therapy. This study evaluates the effect of fructooligosaccharides (FOS), a new soluble dietary fiber, on the prognosis of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). In a retrospective cohort study at the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University from July 2017 to July 2023, 110 SAP patients were analyzed. TPF (enteral nutritional suspension of total protein)-normal and TPF-FOS groups both received standard EEN solutions; the latter additionally received FOS. Outcomes were compared between the groups. The study included 37 patients in the TPF-FOS group and 73 patients in the TPF-normal group. Mortality was 13.50% in the TPF-FOS group and 34.20% in the TPF-normal group (P < 0.05). FOS was identified as an independent protective factor (OR: 0.826, P = 0.041). The TPF-FOS group showed lower rates of intra-abdominal infection and decreased the level of inflammation (P < 0.05). FOS potentially acts as an independent protective factor against death in SAP. Additionally, the supplementation of EEN with FOS may contribute to reducing mortality and improving the prognosis of SAP patients.

The efficacy of fiber-supplemented enteral nutrition in critically ill patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with trial sequential analysis

BACKGROUND

Evidence on the benefits of fiber-supplemented enteral nutrition (EN) in critically ill patients is inconsistent, and critical care nutrition guidelines lack recommendations based on high-quality evidence. This systematic review and meta-analysis (SRMA) aims to provide a current synthesis of the literature on this topic.

METHODS

For this SRMA of randomized controlled trials (RCT), electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL) were searched systematically from inception to January 2024 and updated in June 2024. Trials investigating clinical effects of fiber-supplemented EN versus placebo or usual care in adult critically ill patients were selected. Two independent reviewers extracted data and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. Random-effect meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis (TSA) were conducted. The primary outcome was overall mortality, and one of the secondary outcomes was diarrhea incidence. Subgroup analyses were also performed for both outcomes.

RESULTS

Twenty studies with 1405 critically ill patients were included. In conventional meta-analysis, fiber-supplemented EN was associated with a significant reduction of overall mortality (RR 0.66, 95% CI 0.47, 0.92, p = 0.01, I2 = 0%; 12 studies) and diarrhea incidence (RR 0.70, 95% CI 0.51, 0.96, p = 0.03, I2 = 51%; 11 studies). However, both outcomes were assessed to have very serious risk of bias, and, according to TSA, a type-1 error cannot be ruled out. No subgroup differences were found for the primary outcome.

CONCLUSION

Very low-certainty evidence suggests that fiber-supplemented EN has clinical benefits. High-quality multicenter RCTs with large sample sizes are needed to substantiate any firm recommendation for its routine use in this group of patients. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42023492829.

Feeding Intolerance-A Key Factor in the Management of Acute Pancreatitis: A Review

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is one of the most common diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, which in 20% of cases can turn into a severe form, with mortality reaching up to 30%. One of the cornerstones of AP treatment is early nutritional treatment. Feeding intolerance (FI) occurs in up to 25% of patients with AP and is associated with a more severe disease course and poorer clinical outcome. Feeding intolerance can have a multifaceted clinical presentation. The early identification of FI risk factors and appropriately conducted nutritional treatment are critical to the course of the disease. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of feeding intolerance in AP, its pathomechanisms and risk factors, and its impact on disease progression. We also present suggestions for the management of feeding intolerance.

The importance of providing dietary fiber in medical and surgical critical care

The early provision of soluble/insoluble fiber to the patient who is critically ill has been controversial in the past. Especially in the setting of hemodynamic instability, dysmotility, or impaired gastrointestinal transit, fear of inspissation of formula with precipitation of nonocclusive mesenteric ischemia (NOMI)/nonocclusive bowel necrosis (NOBN) limited its utilization by medical and surgical intensivists. The incidence of NOMI/NOBN has been estimated at 0.2%-0.3% for all intensive care unit (ICU) patients receiving enteral nutrition (EN), and the occurrence of inspissated formula is even less. The science supporting a benefit from providing fiber has recently increased exponentially. The fermentation of soluble fibers leading to the production of short chain fatty acids supports gut barrier function, modulates immune responses, and promotes refaunation of commensal organisms. The "butyrate effect" refers to local (gastrointestinal tract) and systemic anti-inflammatory responses mediated by the M2 polarization of macrophages, inhibition of histone deacetylase, and stimulation of ubiquitous G protein receptors. Both soluble and insoluble fiber have been shown to promote intestinal motility, reduce feeding intolerance, and shorten hospital length of stay. The benefit of providing dietary fiber early upon admission to the ICU outweighs its minimal associated risk. The point at which the intensivist determines that is safe to initiate EN, both soluble and insoluble fiber should be included in the enteral formulation.

Early nasogastric and nasojejunal feeding in patients with predictors of severe acute pancreatitis: а randomized controlled trial

OBJECTIVE: Studying the influence of early nasogastric (NG) and nasojejunal (NJ) probe feeding in patients with predictors of severe acute pancreatitis on the course and outcome of the disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An open randomized controlled study was performed in Neftyanik Occupational Healthcare Facility ICU. 64 patients with predictors of severe acute pancreatitis (APACHE II > 8, CRP > 150 mg/l, SOFA > 2) randomized by the envelope method for early (the first 24 hrs.) nasogastic or nasojejunal feeding. The standard polymer feeding formula enriched with dietary fibers was administered during the first 5 (five) days taking into account its tolerability. Raw data were statistically processed using SPSS-26 software. RESULTS: Comparison of the NG (n = 33) vs. NJ (n = 31) groups produced the following results: the duration (days) of treatment in the hospital was 21 (12; 42) vs. 24 (11; 35), p = 0.715; in ICU — 4 (2; 20) vs. 4 (3; 13), p = 0.803; mechanical ventilation (MV) — 1 (1; 3) vs. 1 (1; 1), p = 0.124; mortality — OR 0.830 (95 % CI 0.201–3.422), p = 0.796; severity (moderately severe or severe) — OR 1.29 (95 % CI 0.483–3.448), p = 0.611; number of patients subjected to surgery during the first period of the disease — OR 0.774 (95 % CI 0.243–2.467), p = 0.665; and second period of the disease — OR 1.682 (95 % CI 0.623–4.546), p = 0.305. CONCLUSIONS: No difference has been found between the groups of patients with severe disease predictors, who received early nasogastric or nasojejunal tube feeding using standard polymer formula with dietary fibers during early acute pancreatitis, as regards duration of treatment in the hospital, in ICU, numbers of mechanically ventilated patients, patients operated during the first and second disease periods, disease severity or mortality.

Dietary Fibre for the Prevention of Post-Pancreatitis Diabetes Mellitus: A Review of the Literature and Future Research Directions

Post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus-the most common sequela of pancreatitis-leads to poorer glycaemic control compared with type 2 diabetes. Because post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus is an exemplar of secondary diabetes (with a clear underlying cause), much post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus is preventable or treatable early. Earlier literature established the important role of dietary fibre in reducing plasma glucose in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The present review benchmarks available evidence on the role of habitual dietary fibre intake in pancreatitis and post-pancreatitis diabetes mellitus. It also paves the way for future research on the use of dietary fibre in the post-pancreatitis setting.

Nutrition in Pancreatic Diseases: A Roadmap for the Gastroenterologist

While common pancreatic diseases, such as acute pancreatitis (AP), chronic pancreatitis (CP), and pancreatic cancer (PC), may greatly impact the normal pancreatic physiology and contribute to malnutrition, the adequate nutritional approach when those conditions are present significantly influences patients' prognosis. In patients with AP, the goals of nutritional care are to prevent malnutrition, correct a negative nitrogen balance, reduce inflammation, and improve outcomes such as local and systemic complications and mortality. Malnutrition in patients with CP is common but often a late manifestation of the disease, leading to decreased functional capacity and quality of life and increased risk of developing significant osteopathy, postoperative complications, hospitalization, and mortality. Cancer-related malnutrition is common in patients with PC, and it is now well recognized that early nutritional support can favorably impact survival, not only by increasing tolerance and response to disease treatments but also by improving quality of life and decreasing postoperative complications. The aim of this review was to emphasize the role of nutrition and to propose a systematic nutritional approach in patients with AP, CP, and PC.

Association of early dietary fiber intake and mortality in septic patients with mechanical ventilation based on MIMIC IV 2.1 database: a cohort study

BACKGROUND

Whether early dietary fiber intake in septic patients is associated with a better clinical prognosis remains unclear, especially the time and the amount. Therefore, we assessed the association between early dietary fiber intake and clinical outcomes in septic patients by examining an extensive database.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using data from the MIMIC IV 2.1 database, focusing on consecutive septic patients requiring mechanical ventilation in medical or mixed medical-surgical ICUs. We collected patient demographics and nutritional data. Dietary fiber amounts were calculated according to enteral nutrition instructions from manufacturers within the first 72 h after admission. After adjusting for covariates, we employed restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression to investigate the relationship between fiber intake (FI) and 28-day mortality. Patients were categorized into three groups based on their fiber index (FI) within 72 h of admission: low fiber index (LFI) group when FI was < 3 g/(%), medium fiber index (MFI) group when FI ranged from 3 to 35 g(%), and high fiber index (HFI) group when FI ≥ 35 g(%). Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were utilized to assess the association between early FI and 28-day mortality. We ultimately employed Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves and log-rank test visually represent the association between FI and 90-day mortality. The second outcomes include ICU-acquired infections and the hospital and ICU death, length of hospital and ICU stay, and length of mechanical ventilation.

RESULTS

Among 1057 subjects, 562 (53.2%) were male, with a median age of 64.8 years (IQR 53.4-75.2). We observed a J-shaped relationship between FI and 28-day mortality. The MFI group exhibited the lowest 28-day mortality [adjusted HR 0.64 (0.45-0.91), p = 0.013] and the lowest rate of hospital mortality [adjusted OR 0.60 (0.39-0.93), p = 0.022], with no statistically significant differences noted in the HFI group when compared to the LFI group. Similar patterns were observed for 60-day and 90-day mortality. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in other secondary outcomes after adjusting for covariates.

CONCLUSION

Early medium fiber index intake improved 28-day mortality and lower hospital mortality in septic M/SICU patients on mechanical ventilation.

Effects of Synbiotic Supplementation on Metabolic Syndrome Traits and Gut Microbial Profile among Overweight and Obese Hong Kong Chinese Individuals: A Randomized Trial

In view of the limited evidence showing anti-obesity effects of synbiotics via modulation of the gut microbiota in humans, a randomized clinical trial was performed. Assessment of the metabolic syndrome traits and profiling of the fecal gut microbiota using 16S rRNA gene sequencing in overweight and obese Hong Kong Chinese individuals before and after dietary intervention with an 8-week increased consumption of fruits and vegetables and/or synbiotic supplementation was conducted. The selected synbiotic contained two probiotics (Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM and Bifidobacterium lactis HN019) and a prebiotic (polydextrose). Fifty-five overweight or obese individuals were randomized and divided into a synbiotic group (SG; n = 19), a dietary intervention group (DG; n = 18), and a group receiving combined interventions (DSG; n = 18). DSG showed the greatest weight loss effects and number of significant differences in clinical parameters compared to its baseline values-notably, decreases in fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, and triglycerides and an increase in HDL-cholesterol. DSG lowered Megamonas abundance, which was positively associated with BMI, body fat mass, and trunk fat mass. The results suggested that increasing dietary fiber consumption from fruits and vegetables combined with synbiotic supplementation is more effective than either approach alone in tackling obesity.

Postbiotics as potential new therapeutic agents for sepsis

Sepsis is the main cause of death in critically ill patients and gut microbiota dysbiosis plays a crucial role in sepsis. On the one hand, sepsis leads to the destruction of gut microbiota and induces and aggravates terminal organ dysfunction. On the other hand, the activation of pathogenic gut flora and the reduction in beneficial microbial products increase the susceptibility of the host to sepsis. Although probiotics or fecal microbiota transplantation preserve gut barrier function on multiple levels, their efficacy in sepsis with intestinal microbiota disruptions remains uncertain. Postbiotics consist of inactivated microbial cells or cell components. They possess antimicrobial, immunomodulatory, antioxidant and antiproliferative activities. Microbiota-targeted therapy strategies, such as postbiotics, may reduce the incidence of sepsis and improve the prognosis of patients with sepsis by regulating gut microbial metabolites, improving intestinal barrier integrity and changing the composition of the gut microbiota. They offer a variety of mechanisms and might even be superior to more conventional 'biotics' such as probiotics and prebiotics. In this review, we present an overview of the concept of postbiotics and summarize what is currently known about postbiotics and their prospective utility in sepsis therapy. Overall, postbiotics show promise as a viable adjunctive therapy option for sepsis.

Nutrition in Acute Pancreatitis: From the Old Paradigm to the New Evidence

The nutritional management of acute pancreatitis (AP) patients has widely changed over time. The "pancreatic rest" was the cornerstone of the old paradigm, and nutritional support was not even included in AP management. Traditional management of AP was based on intestinal rest, with or without complete parenteral feeding. Recently, evidence-based data underlined the superiority of early oral or enteral feeding with significantly decreased multiple-organ failure, systemic infections, surgery need, and mortality rate. Despite the current recommendations, experts still debate the best route for enteral nutritional support and the best enteral formula. The aim of this work is to collect and analyze evidence over the nutritional aspects of AP management to investigate its impact. Moreover, the role of immunonutrition and probiotics in modulating inflammatory response and gut dysbiosis during AP was extensively studied. However, we have no significant data for their use in clinical practice. This is the first work to move beyond the mere opposition between the old and the new paradigm, including an analysis of several topics still under debate in order to provide a comprehensive overview of nutritional management of AP.

Update on the management of acute pancreatitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review provides insight into the recent advancements in the management of acute pancreatitis.

RECENT FINDINGS

Moderate fluid resuscitation and Ringer's lactate has advantages above aggressive fluid resuscitation and normal saline, respectively. A normal "on-demand" diet has a positive effect on recovery from acute pancreatitis and length of hospital stay. A multimodal pain management approach including epidural analgesia might reduce unwarranted effects of opiate use. A more targeted use of antibiotics is starting to emerge. Markers such as procalcitonin may be used to limit unwarranted antibiotic use. Conversely, many patients with infected necrotizing pancreatitis can be treated with only antibiotics, although the optimal choice and duration is unclear. Delay of drainage as much as is possible is advised since it is associated with less procedures. If drainage is required, clinicians have an expanding arsenal of interventional options to their disposal such as the lumen-apposing metal stent for transgastric drainage and (repeated) necrosectomy. Immunomodulation using removal of systemic cytokines or anti-inflammatory drugs is an attractive idea, but up to now the results of clinical trials are disappointing. No additional preventive measures beside non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) can be recommended for post-endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) pancreatitis.

SUMMARY

More treatment modalities that are less invasive became available and a trend towards less aggressive treatments (fluids, starvation, interventions, opiates) of acute pancreatitis is again emerging. Despite recent advancements, the pathophysiology of specific subgroup phenotypes is still poorly understood which reflects the disappointing results of pharmacological and immunomodulatory trials.

Effects of dietary fibre on enteral feeding intolerance and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients: A meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Although some studies have explored the relationships between dietary fibre and enteral feeding intolerance in critically ill patients, the results are equivocal.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to explore the effects of dietary fibre on enteral feeding intolerance and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients.

METHODS

We searched five databases from inception to July 12, 2021. Data were expressed as mean difference or odds ratio with 95% confidence interval.

RESULTS

Thirteen studies enrolled 709 critically ill patients included in the study. The results showed the dietary fibre group had a significantly decreased risk of diarrhea (OR: 0.46, 95% CI: 0.30,0.69, P < 0.001), regurgitation (OR: 0.28, 95%CI: 0.13, 0.60, P < 0.05), vomiting (OR: 0.40, 95%CI: 0.17, 0.92, P < 0.05), constipation (OR: 0.21, 95%CI: 0.09, 0.47, P < 0.001) and mortality (OR:0.34; 95%CI:-0.13, 0.91; P < 0.05) compared with the fibre free group. Besides, there was a significant decrease on time to reach full enteral nutrition (MD:-2.08; 95%CI:-4.05, -0.12; P < 0.05), the duration of the intensive care unit stay (MD:-4.62; 95%CI:-6.60, -2.64; P < 0.001) and hospital stay (MD:-6.42; 95%CI:-9.49, -3.36; P < 0.001) in the dietary fibre group.

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary fibre supplementation may significantly reduce the risk of enteral feeding intolerance and improve the clinical outcomes.

The effect of fiber supplementation on the prevention of diarrhea in hospitalized patients receiving enteral nutrition: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with the GRADE assessment

Introduction

Enteral nutrition (EN) in hospitalized patients has several advantages. However, post-feeding diarrhea occurs frequently and has been linked to negative outcomes. The EN formula itself may have an impact on how diarrhea develops, and fiber supplements may theoretically help patients experience less diarrhea. This study aimed to thoroughly evaluate whether adding fiber to EN decreases the likelihood of developing diarrhea and whether different types of fibers pose different effects on diarrhea (PROSPERO CRD 42021279971).

Methods

We conducted a meta-analysis on fiber supplementation in hospitalized adult patients receiving EN. We thoroughly searched PubMed, Medline, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CENTRAL, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases from inception to 1 September 2022. Only randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Pooled results on the incidence of diarrhea were calculated using a random-effects model. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) approach was applied. Only fiber types from soy polysaccharides (n = 4), psyllium (n = 3), mixed soluble/insoluble fiber (mixed fiber, n = 3), pectin (n = 2), and partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG, n = 2) were examined in the sensitivity analysis.

Results

Among the 4,469 titles found, a total of 16 RCTs were included. Overall, compared to fiber-free formulas, fiber supplementation reduced the occurrence of diarrhea in patients receiving EN by 36% (pooled risk ratio [RR] of 0.64 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.49-0.82, p = 0.005; I 2 = 45%]), with GRADE showing the evidence of moderate certainty. Only mixed fiber and PHGG significantly decreased the incidence of diarrhea according to the sensitivity analyses for fiber types (RR 0.54, 95%CI: 0.39-0.75, I 2 = 0% and RR 0.47, 95%CI: 0.27-0.83, I 2 = 0%, respectively). The results for the remaining fiber types were unclear.

Conclusion

According to a meta-analysis, fiber supplements help lessen post-feeding diarrhea in hospitalized patients receiving EN. However, not all fiber types produced successful outcomes. Diarrhea was significantly reduced by PHGG and mixed soluble/insoluble fiber.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/display_record.php?RecordID=279971, identifier: PROSPERO CRD 42021279971.

Nutrition in acute pancreatitis: when, what and how

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review intends to discuss recently available evidence in three topics related to nutrition in patients with acute pancreatitis, namely timing of refeeding, type of nutritional therapy and its route of administration.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent lines of research confirm that early oral feeding leads to shorter length of stay, fewer complications and lower costs in patients with acute pancreatitis. Moreover, early (<48 h) enteral nutrition led to decreased hospital mortality in patients with mild and severe acute pancreatitis; thus, in case of intolerance to oral feeding or severe disease, nutritional therapy should be offered within 24-72 h. Furthermore, enteral nutrition should be preferred against parenteral nutrition, as it is related to shorter length of stay and less complications, while initial data bring to light the potential role of the soluble dietary fibre polydextrose as an agent that could lead to faster achievement of energy goal with concomitant lower rates of feeding intolerance. Finally, enteral nutrition can be administered through gastric or jejunal feeding, depending on digestive tolerance, whereas latest data also address the safety of percutaneous gastrostomy with a jejunal extension for enteral nutrition administration. However, more data about its real benefit are warranted.

SUMMARY

Accumulating evidence confirms the importance of early oral refeeding or early administration of enteral nutrition as vital parts of the armamentarium for the management of patients with acute pancreatitis.

Early Enteral Nutrition in Paediatric Acute Pancreatitis-A Review of Published Studies

Nowadays, nutrition is said to be an integral aspect of acute pancreatitis (AP) treatment. Early enteral nutrition (EEN) is safe and beneficial for patients. This was confirmed by clinical experience and can be found in guidelines on managing adults with AP. Furthermore, paediatric recommendations encourage EEN use in AP. However, paediatric guidelines are based exclusively on studies in adults. Therefore, we present a review of published studies on the time of nutritional interventions in children with AP. A search was independently conducted in April 2022 by two of the authors. Only full-text papers published in English involving children between 0-21 were considered. Only four papers met our inclusion criteria: one randomised-control trial (RCT), one prospective study with retrospective chart review, and two retrospective chart reviews. All studies supported EEN and there was no recommendation of any delay in its initiation. The results of all four papers suggested EEN with a regular, normal-fat diet. EEN is safe in children with mild or moderately severe AP and may decrease the length of hospitalisation. Unfortunately, all the conclusions are based on a small amount of heterogeneous data that are mostly retrospective. Future prospective RCTs are needed.

Guidelines for the management of patients with severe acute pancreatitis, 2021

OBJECTIVE

To provide guidelines for the management of the intensive care patient with severe acute pancreatitis.

DESIGN

A consensus committee of 22 experts was convened. A formal conflict-of-interest (COI) policy was developed at the beginning of the process and enforced throughout. The entire guideline construction process was conducted independently of any industrial funding (i.e. pharmaceutical, medical devices). The authors were required to follow the rules of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE®) system to guide assessment of quality of evidence. The potential drawbacks of making strong recommendations in the presence of low-quality evidence were emphasised.

METHODS

The most recent SFAR and SNFGE guidelines on the management of the patient with severe pancreatitis were published in 2001. The literature now is sufficient for an update. The committee studied 14 questions within 3 fields. Each question was formulated in a PICO (Patients Intervention Comparison Outcome) format and the relevant evidence profiles were produced. The literature review and recommendations were made according to the GRADE® methodology.

RESULTS

The experts' synthesis work and their application of the GRADE® method resulted in 24 recommendations. Among the formalised recommendations, 8 have high levels of evidence (GRADE 1+/-) and 12 have moderate levels of evidence (GRADE 2+/-). For 4 recommendations, the GRADE method could not be applied, resulting in expert opinions. Four questions did not find any response in the literature. After one round of scoring, strong agreement was reached for all the recommendations.

CONCLUSIONS

There was strong agreement among experts for 24 recommendations to improve practices for the management of intensive care patients with severe acute pancreatitis.

Intestinal Barrier and Permeability in Health, Obesity and NAFLD

The largest surface of the human body exposed to the external environment is the gut. At this level, the intestinal barrier includes luminal microbes, the mucin layer, gastrointestinal motility and secretion, enterocytes, immune cells, gut vascular barrier, and liver barrier. A healthy intestinal barrier is characterized by the selective permeability of nutrients, metabolites, water, and bacterial products, and processes are governed by cellular, neural, immune, and hormonal factors. Disrupted gut permeability (leaky gut syndrome) can represent a predisposing or aggravating condition in obesity and the metabolically associated liver steatosis (nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD). In what follows, we describe the morphological-functional features of the intestinal barrier, the role of major modifiers of the intestinal barrier, and discuss the recent evidence pointing to the key role of intestinal permeability in obesity/NAFLD.

The effect of dietary fiber on gut barrier function, gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids, inflammation and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Although some studies have explored the relationships between dietary fiber (DF) supplement and gut barrier function, changes of gut microbiota and other clinical outcomes in critically ill patients, the results from different studies were not consistent.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of dietary fiber on gut barrier function, gut microbiota, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), inflammation and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients.

METHODS

A search was performed through PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Clinical Trials, Web of Science and EBSCO-host that includes Health Sciences Research from inception to July 12, 2021. Data were pooled using fixed effects model for low heterogeneity and random effects model for high heterogeneity. Data were expressed as mean difference (MD) or odds ratio (OR) with confidence interval.

RESULTS

A total of 21 studies involving 2084 critically ill patients were included. The results showed that there was a significant reduction in intestinal permeability demonstrated by lactulose/rhamnose ratio (MD:-0.04; 95%CI:-0.08, -0.00; P = 0.03) on day 8 in DF supplement group. Three studies reported the relative abundance (RA) of gut microbiota and the results showed the RA of some SCFAs producers increased higher in DF supplement group. There was a significant decrease in C-reactive protein on day 14 (MD:-36.66; 95%CI:-44.40, -28.93; P<0.001) and the duration of hospital stay (MD:-3.16; 95%CI:-5.82, -0.49; P<0.05) after DF supplement. There were no significant differences on SCFAs levels, the duration of mechanical ventilation and mortality between the two groups. However, in subgroup analysis, the results indicated there was a significant reduction on the duration of mechanical ventilation in fiber combined probiotic group (MD:-13; 95%CI:-19.69, -6.31; P<0.001). Besides, significant decreases in the duration of hospital stay and risk of mortality were seen in the subgroups with fiber supplementary dose ≥20 g/d (MD:-5.62; 95%CI: -8.04, -3.21; P<0.0001; OR: 0.18, 95%CI: 0.06, 0.57, P = 0.004), as well as in medical ICU (MD:-4.77; 95%CI: -7.48, -2.07; P<0.01; OR: 0.13; 95%CI: 0.03, 0.65; P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Dietary fiber may improve the gut barrier function, modulate the intestinal microbiota, decrease systemic inflammatory response and may advance the clinical outcomes in critically ill patients. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Exploration of the Curative Effect of Early Enteral Nutrition Nursing on Patients with Severe Acute Pancreatitis and the Improvement of Patients' Mental Health and Inflammation Level

In order to explore the curative effect of early enteral nutrition nursing on patients with severe acute pancreatitis and the improvement of patients' mental health and inflammation levels, this paper compares the curative effect of early enteral nutrition nursing and traditional care on patients with severe acute pancreatitis and the improvement effects of patients' mental health and inflammation levels through controlled trials. Moreover, this paper combines statistical methods for data processing and visually expresses data through statistical graphs and statistical tables. Through the comparison of experiments, it can be seen that the improvement effect in all aspects of patients in the test group is significantly higher than that in the control group. Finally, through the analysis of the test results, it can be known that the use of early enteral nutrition nursing for patients with acute severe acute pancreatitis has a certain effect in improving their nutritional status, regulating immune function, and promoting mental health.

Nutrition in acute pancreatitis

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

This review aims to discuss recent developments in different topics regarding nutrition and acute pancreatitis (AP), including oral refeeding, nutritional therapy, and implications of gut microbiota.

RECENT FINDINGS

Obesity increases the risk for severe AP and mortality. Considering the worldwide obesity rates, this finding could have major implications in the global outcomes of patients admitted with AP. Recent research confirms that early oral feeding leads to shorter length of stay, fewer complications, and lower costs. In case of intolerance to oral feeding or severe disease, nutritional therapy should be offered within 24-72 h, whereas enteral nutrition (EN) has been shown superior to parenteral nutrition. EN can be administered through gastric or jejunal feeding, depending on digestive tolerance and the presence of ileus. Nevertheless, modalities of EN in patients undergoing endoscopic drainage of pancreatitis-related collections are still undetermined. Weight-loss after discharge occurs frequently and could reflect post-AP pancreatic exocrine failure. Finally, novel research regarding gut microbiota could open new therapeutic opportunities to prevent bacterial translocation and pancreatic necrosis' infection.

SUMMARY

Despite available evidence many questions regarding nutritional management in patients with AP remain open. Modulation of gut microbiota could play an important role in further therapeutic management.

Leaky Gut: Effect of Dietary Fiber and Fats on Microbiome and Intestinal Barrier

Intestinal tract is the boundary that prevents harmful molecules from invading into the mucosal tissue, followed by systemic circulation. Intestinal permeability is an index for intestinal barrier integrity. Intestinal permeability has been shown to increase in various diseases-not only intestinal inflammatory diseases, but also systemic diseases, including diabetes, chronic kidney dysfunction, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases. Chronic increase of intestinal permeability is termed 'leaky gut' which is observed in the patients and animal models of these diseases. This state often correlates with the disease state. In addition, recent studies have revealed that gut microbiota affects intestinal and systemic heath conditions via their metabolite, especially short-chain fatty acids and lipopolysaccharides, which can trigger leaky gut. The etiology of leaky gut is still unknown; however, recent studies have uncovered exogenous factors that can modulate intestinal permeability. Nutrients are closely related to intestinal health and permeability that are actively investigated as a hot topic of scientific research. Here, we will review the effect of nutrients on intestinal permeability and microbiome for a better understanding of leaky gut and a possible mechanism of increase in intestinal permeability.