Dysbiosis of the gut microbiota in children with severe motor and intellectual disabilities receiving enteral nutrition: A pilot study

Serum 25(OH)D and vitamin K1 levels in patients with severe motor and intellectual disability: A Japanese single-center experience

PURPOSE

To investigate whether patients with severe motor and intellectual disability (SMID) have nutritional vitamin D and K insufficiencies and clarify the required vitamin supplementation.

METHODS

This prospective observational study enrolled Japanese adults with SMID receiving institutionalized care who underwent blood sampling between February 2020 and February 2022 during annual medical checkups. Serum vitamin K1 and 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were measured to determine their relationship with serum uncarboxylated osteocalcin (ucOC) levels. Vitamin D and K intake was compared among tube-fed and oral-intake patients with SMID and control participants using corresponding serum levels.

RESULTS

The study included 124 patients with SMID (56 men and 68 women; mean age: 53.0 years) and 20 control participants. Serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly higher in the SMID group than in the control group and the oral intake SMID group than in the tube-fed SMID group. In the tube-fed SMID group, vitamin D intake was lower than the daily recommended intake and correlated with serum 25(OH)D levels. Daily vitamin K intake in the tube-fed group was lower than recommended but not correlated with serum vitamin K levels. Serum ucOC levels were significantly higher in the SMID group than in the control group. Tube feeding was significantly and positively correlated with serum 25(OH)D levels. Serum 25(OH)D levels were not correlated with serum vitamin K1 levels.

CONCLUSIONS

The SMID group had higher ucOC levels than the control group, possibly owing to daily vitamin K and D deficiencies. Vitamin D supplementation is recommended to decrease ucOC levels.

The evolution of nutrition management in children with severe neurological impairment with a focus on cerebral palsy

Nutritional management of children with severe neurological impairment (SNI) is highly complex, and the profile of this population is changing. The aim of this narrative review was to give the reader a broad description of evolution of the nutritional management of children with SNI in a high resource setting. In the last decade, there has been an emphasis on using multiple anthropometric measures to monitor nutritional status in children with SNI, and several attempts at standardising the approach have been made. Tools such as the Feeding and Nutrition Screening Tool, the Subjective Global Nutrition Assessment, the Eating and Drinking Ability Classification System and the Focus on Early Eating and Drinking Swallowing (FEEDS) toolkit have become available. There has been an increased understanding of how the gut microbiome influences gastrointestinal symptoms common in children with SNI, and the use of fibre in the management of these has received attention. A new diagnosis, 'gastrointestinal dystonia', has been defined. The increased use and acceptance of blended food tube feeds has been a major development in the nutritional management of children with SNI, with reported benefits in managing gastrointestinal symptoms. New interventions to support eating and drinking skill development in children with SNI show promise. In conclusion, as the life expectancy of people with SNI increases due to advances in medical and nutrition care, our approach necessitates a view to long-term health and quality of life. This involves balancing adequate nutrition to support growth, development and well-being while avoiding overnutrition and its associated detrimental long-term effects.