Effect of age on resting energy expenditure in patients with cancer

Energy Expenditure in Upper Gastrointestinal Cancers: a Scoping Review

Malnutrition is prevalent in people with upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers and is associated with shorter survival and poor quality of life. In order to effectively prevent or treat malnutrition, nutrition interventions must ensure appropriate energy provision to meet daily metabolic demands. In practice, the energy needs of people with cancer are frequently estimated from predictive equations which are not cancer-specific and are demonstrated to be inaccurate in this population. The purpose of this scoping review was to synthesize the existing evidence regarding energy expenditure in people with upper GI cancer. Three databases (Ovid MEDLINE, Embase via Ovid, CINAHL plus) were systematically searched to identify studies reporting on resting energy expenditure using indirect calorimetry and total energy expenditure using doubly labeled water (DLW) in adults with any stage of upper GI cancer at any point from diagnosis. A total of 57 original research studies involving 2,125 individuals with cancer of the esophagus, stomach, pancreas, biliary tract, or liver were eligible for inclusion. All studies used indirect calorimetry, and one study used DLW to measure energy expenditure, which was reported unadjusted in 42 studies, adjusted for body weight in 32 studies, and adjusted for fat-free mass in 13 studies. Energy expenditure in upper GI cancer was compared with noncancer controls in 19 studies and measured compared with predicted energy expenditure reported in 31 studies. There was heterogeneity in study design and in reporting of important clinical characteristics between studies. There was also substantial variation in energy expenditure between studies and within and between cancer types. Given this heterogeneity and known inaccuracies of predictive equations in patients with cancer, energy expenditure should be measured in practice wherever feasible. Additional research in cohorts defined by cancer type, stage, and treatment is needed to further characterize energy expenditure in upper GI cancer.

Real World Practice Study of the Effect of a Specific Oral Nutritional Supplement for Diabetes Mellitus on the Morphofunctional Assessment and Protein Energy Requirements

Introduction: The prevalence of malnutrition in patients with diabetes mellitus is high. In these patients, monitoring nutritional intervention is complex. Aims: To evaluate the evolution in the nutritional status in patients with diabetes/prediabetes and malnutrition with a diabetes-specific enteral formula. Methods: Real-life study of one arm in 60 patients with diabetes and prediabetes, performing a dietary adaptation with diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplementation. A morphofunctional assessment was performed, consisting of intake assessment, anthropometry, body composition (bioimpedance and muscle ultrasound), handgrip strength and biochemical markers. The diagnosis of malnutrition was made using the criteria of the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM). The variables were measured at baseline and 3 months after starting the intervention. Results: The mean age was 67.13 (14.9) years. In total, 30 (50%) of the patients were women. Of the total, 60% of the patients had diabetes mellitus and 40% of the patients had prediabetes. The initial body mass index was 24.65 (5.35) kg/m2. It was observed that 80% of the patients had malnutrition, whereas after the intervention, the prevalence was 51.7% (p < 0.01). At the beginning of the study, 20% of the patients suffered from sarcopenia and after the intervention it was 16.7% (p = 0.19). Conclusions: Medical Nutrition Therapy with an adapted oral diet associated with diabetes-specific oral nutritional supplementation reduces malnutrition in patients at nutritional risk and disturbances of carbohydrate metabolism.