Using albumin and prealbumin to assess nutritional status

Investigation of Serum Albumin as a Dynamic Treatment-Specific Surrogate for Outcomes in Patients With Myelofibrosis Treated With Ruxolitinib

PURPOSE

Ruxolitinib improves splenomegaly and disease-related symptoms in most patients with myelofibrosis (MF), and it has been associated with a survival benefit in higher-risk patients with splenomegaly. Spleen volume reduction has been associated with a survival benefit in ruxolitinib-treated patients; however, its use as a surrogate is limited. We hypothesized that an anti-inflammatory response to ruxolitinib would correlate with improved patient outcomes.

METHODS

We interrogated serum albumin, an acute phase reactant and marker of nutritional status in 590 patients with MF and analyzed differential trajectories of albumin on the basis of ruxolitinib treatment. Additionally, we assessed the prognostic role of baseline albumin and change in albumin.

RESULTS

We found that serum albumin levels tend to decrease in patients with MF; however, this tendency is abrogated by ruxolitinib treatment. To that end, baseline serum albumin level correlates with overall survival (OS) in patients with MF, independent of the variables that comprise the dynamic international prognostic scoring system; however, this correlation is limited to ruxolitinib-naïve patients. In ruxolitinib-treated patients, the change in serum albumin after ruxolitinib treatment, rather than the baseline value, is associated with improved OS, a finding not seen in ruxolitinib-naïve patients.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that serum albumin, a ubiquitously available laboratory value, has specific relevance in patients with MF and reflects therapeutic response to ruxolitinib.

Development and Validation of a Prognostic Model for Transarterial Chemoembolization in Unresectable Hepatocellular Carcinoma Based on Preoperative Serum Prealbumin

Purpose

We aimed to develop a prognostic nomogram utilizing preoperative serum prealbumin levels to predict the overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) for unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Patients and Methods

A total of 768 individuals with unresectable HCC who underwent TACE at three medical facilities in Suzhou between January 2007 December 2018 were included. The patient cohort was assigned to a training set (n = 461) and a validation set (n = 307). Cox regression analysis identified independent prognostic factors, which were then used to construct a prognostic nomogram. Internal validation was performed in the testing group, and its effectiveness and capability were evaluated with reference to the concordance index (C-index), area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA).

Results

Independent risk factors identified through Cox regression analyses included the BCLC stage, cirrhosis, invasion, tumor number, preoperative serum PALB, performance status (PS), and tumor size. The nomogram demonstrated a C-index of 0.734 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.710-0.758) in the training set and 0.717 (95% CI: 0.678-0.756) in the validation set, indicating strong discriminatory ability. The nomogram also demonstrated favorable discriminatory performance with AUC values of 0.873, 0.820, and 0.833 for 1-, 2-, and 3-year OS, respectively, in the training set, and 0.854, 0.765, and 0.724 in the validation set. The AUC value of the nomogram (0.843) was significantly higher than that of the four conventional staging systems. Moreover, calibration graphs confirmed a strong concordance between the predicted and observed results. Furthermore, DCA underscored the significant clinical utility of the nomogram. Additionally, the low-risk group exhibited considerably superior rates of survival compared to the high-risk group.

Conclusion

The developed nomogram demonstrated excellent prognostic capability, which served as a valuable tool for personalized clinical decision-making for patients with HCC.

A novel nomogram based on body composition and nutritional indicators to predict the prognosis of patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer undergoing radical cystectomy

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prognostic significance of body composition and nutritional indicators in patients undergoing radical cystectomy with muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) and to develop a novel nomogram that accurately predicts overall survival (OS).

METHODS

From December 2010 to December 2020, we retrospectively collected clinical and pathological data from 373 MIBC patients who underwent radical cystectomy at our hospital. Preoperative computed tomography (CT) images were used to measure the skeletal muscle index (SMI), subcutaneous adipose index (SAI), visceral adipose index (VAI), skeletal muscle density (SMD), subcutaneous adipose density (SAD), visceral adipose density (VAD), and visceral adipose to subcutaneous adipose area ratio (VSR). The clinicopathological characteristics were evaluated using LASSO regression and multivariate Cox regression, and a nomogram was constructed to predict 1-, 3-, and 5-year overall survival. The concordance index (C-index), time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curves (t-ROC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to assess the discriminative ability, calibration, and clinical practicality of the nomogram.

RESULTS

Multivariate analyses demonstrated that pT stage, lymph node status, LVI, SMD, and prognostic nutritional index (PNI) are independent prognostic factors for OS. Additionally, a nomogram was created. The nomogram's C-index was 0.714 (95% CI: 0.695-0.733). The area under the t-ROC curve of 1-, 3-, and 5-year survival corresponding to the model was 0.726, 0.788, and 0.785, respectively. The calibration curve demonstrated excellent agreement between the predicted and observed outcomes. The DCA revealed that patients with MIBC could benefit from the nomogram.

CONCLUSION

Based on body composition and nutritional indicators, we developed a novel nomogram with excellent predictive accuracy and reliability for predicting the prognosis of MIBC patients undergoing RC.

A hierarchical prognostic model for Co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Background

Co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma has a poorer prognosis than pancreatic adenocarcinoma without diabetes. This study aimed to develop a reliable prognostic model for patients with co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

Method

Overall, 169 patients with co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma were included in our study. First, the independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients with co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma were determined by univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Based on these identified risk factors, we developed a nomogram and evaluated its predictive ability using the concordance index, receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration plot, decision curve, and net reclassification index.

Results

In this study, prealbumin, transferrin, carcinoembryonic antigen, distant metastasis, tumor differentiation neutrophil count, lymphocyte count and fasting blood glucose were confirmed as significant prognostic factors. Based on these predictors, a new nomogram was developed. Compared with the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8 staging system and other models, the nomogram achieved a higher concordance index in the training (0.795) and validation (0.729) queues. The area under the nomogram's curve for predicting patient survival at 0.5, 1, and 1.5 years in the training queue was >0.8. Patients were risk-stratified using the nomogram, and Kaplan-Meier survival curves of subgroups were plotted. The Kaplan-Meier curve also showed better separation than the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8 staging system, indicating that our model has a better risk hierarchical ability.

Conclusions

Compared to the American Joint Committee on Cancer 8 staging system and other predictive models, our model showed better predictive ability for patients with co-diabetes pancreatic adenocarcinoma. Our model will help in patients' risk stratification and improves their prognosis.

Depressive symptoms, low-grade inflammation, and poor oral health prevents the success of nutritional guidance in older caregivers

PURPOSE

The present study aimed to determine which factors prevents the success of nutritional interventions for older family caregivers (FCs), in the form of individually tailored nutritional guidance.

METHODS

The present study focuses on the intervention group of FCs (n = 63) of a randomized controlled trial. Older FCs (≥60 years of age) receiving a care allowance for a home-living care recipient (≥65 years of age) were included in the present study, which focused on nutritional interventions via individually tailored nutritional guidance provided by a clinical nutritionist. The associations between changes in protein intake (3-day food record), Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scores, and plasma albumin and prealbumin concentrations, as well as associated factors, for the 6-month intervention period were analyzed using generalized estimating equations.

RESULTS

Intervention time, female sex, older age, higher net income, better hand grip strength, more teeth, and removable denture use were positively associated with an increase in protein intake. Fewer depressive symptoms were associated with a positive change in the MNA scores. Younger age, lower education level, lower body mass index (BMI), higher depressive symptoms, and fewer teeth were associated with an increase in plasma albumin concentration. Younger age, lower education, lower plasma concentration of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein at 6 months, lower Sense of Coherence (SOC) -13 score, fewer teeth, and absence of removable dentures were associated with an increase in plasma prealbumin concentration.

CONCLUSION

Older female FCs with a higher income, better hand grip strength, lower education, and lower SOC benefited most from individually tailored nutritional guidance. Depressive symptoms, oral health, and low-grade inflammation should be considered when providing nutritional guidance to older FCs.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04003493 (July 1, 2019).

Association between prealbumin, all-cause mortality, and response to nutrition treatment in patients at nutrition risk: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Because of the shorter half-life as compared with albumin, serum prealbumin concentrations have been proposed to be useful nutrition biomarkers for the assessment of patients at nutrition risk. In a post hoc analysis of patients at nutrition risk from a randomized controlled nutrition trial, we tested the hypothesis that (1) prealbumin is associated with higher all-cause 180-day mortality rates and that (2) individualized nutrition support compared with usual-care nutrition more effectively improves survival at 30 days in patients with low prealbumin levels compared with patients with normal prealbumin levels.

METHODS

We performed a prespecified cohort study in patients included in the pragmatic, Swiss, multicenter randomized controlled EFFORT trial comparing the effects of individualized nutrition support with usual care. We studied low prealbumin concentrations (<0.17 g/L) in a subgroup of 517 patients from one participating center.

RESULTS

A total of 306 (59.2%) patients (mean age 71.9 years, 53.6% men) had low admission prealbumin levels (<0.17 g/L). There was a significant association between low prealbumin levels and mortality at 180 days (115/306 [37.6%] vs 47/211 [22.3%], fully adjusted hazard ratio [HR]=1.59, 95% CI 1.11-2.28; P = 0.011). Prealbumin levels significantly improved the prognostic value of the Nutritional Risk Screening total score regarding mortality prediction at short- and long-term. The difference in mortality between patients receiving individualized nutrition support and usual-care nutrition was similar for patients with low prealbumin levels compared with patients with normal prealbumin levels (HR=0.90 [95% CI=0.51-1.59] vs HR=0.88 [95% CI=0.35-2.23]) with no evidence for interaction (P = 0.823).

CONCLUSION

Among medical inpatients at nutrition risk, low admission prealbumin levels correlated with different nutrition markers and higher mortality risk, but patients with low or high prealbumin levels had a similar benefit from nutrition support. Further studies should identify nutrition markers that help further personalize nutrition interventions.

Intravenous dexamethasone administration during anesthesia induction can improve postoperative nutritional tolerance of patients following elective gastrointestinal surgery: A post-hoc analysis

Aim

To investigate the effect of intravenous dexamethasone administration on postoperative enteral nutrition tolerance in patients following gastrointestinal surgery.

Methods

Based on the previous results of a randomized controlled study to explore whether intravenous administration of dexamethasone recovered gastrointestinal function after gastrointestinal surgery, we used the existing research data from 1 to 5 days post operation in patients with enteral nutrition tolerance and nutrition-related analyses of the changes in serum indices, and further analyzed the factors affecting resistance to enteral nutrition.

Result

The average daily enteral caloric intake was significantly higher in patients receiving intravenous administration of dexamethasone during anesthesia induction than in controls (8.80 ± 0.92 kcal/kg/d vs. 8.23 ± 1.13 kcal/kg/d, P = 0.002). Additionally, intravenous administration of 8 mg dexamethasone during anesthesia induction can reduce the changes in postoperative day (POD) 3, POD5, and preoperative values of serological indices, including ΔPA, ΔALB, and ΔRBP (P < 0.05). In the subgroup analysis, dexamethasone significantly increased the average daily enteral nutrition caloric intake in patients undergoing enterotomy (8.98 ± 0.87 vs. 8.37 ± 1.17 kcal/kg/d, P = 0.010) or in female patients (8.94 ± 0.98 vs. 8.10 ± 1.24 kcal/kg/d, P = 0.019). The changes of serological indexes (ΔPA, ΔALB, and ΔRBP) in the dexamethasone group were also significantly different on POD3 and POD5 (P < 0.05). In addition, multivariate analysis showed that dexamethasone use, surgical site, and age might influence enteral nutrition caloric tolerance.

Conclusion

Postoperative enteral nutrition tolerance was significantly improved in patients receiving intravenous administration of dexamethasone during anesthesia induction, especially in patients following enterotomy surgery, with significant improvements in average daily enteral caloric intake, PA levels, ALB levels, and RBP levels.

Clinical trial registration

http://www.chictr.org.cn, identifier: ChiCTR1900024000.

Nutritional Biomarkers and Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Subacute Stroke

Malnutrition and autonomic dysfunction are associated with poor outcomes, mortality, and psychological problems after stroke. Relevant laboratory biomarkers include serum albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin. Heart rate variability (HRV), a noninvasive measurement, can objectively measure autonomic nervous system (ANS) function. The relationship between HRV and nutritional biomarkers in stroke patients has not been studied. This study aimed to examine the relationship between nutritional biomarkers and HRV parameters in stroke patients. We retrospectively recruited 426 patients with subacute stroke who were examined for nutritional biomarkers, such as serum albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin, and underwent 24 h ambulatory Holter electrocardiography. Patients were divided into groups according to their nutritional biomarker status. Differences in HRV parameters between nutritional biomarker-deficient and normal groups were assessed. Pearson's correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to verify the relationship between HRV parameters and nutritional biomarkers. HRV parameters were significantly lower in the nutritional biomarker-deficient groups. In addition, there was a significant association between HRV parameters and nutritional biomarkers. Serum albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin levels were associated with ANS function, as measured by HRV, and their deficiency may be a predictive factor for the severity of ANS dysfunction in stroke patients.

Clinical impact of serum prealbumin in pancreaticobiliary disease

Purpose

Although there are many studies on prealbumin in individual diseases such as malignant or inflammatory diseases, there are few comparative studies. This study aimed to compare the clinical differences between prealbumin levels in cholecystitis and pancreaticobiliary malignancies and investigate the clinical impact of low prealbumin levels in pancreaticobiliary malignancies.

Methods

From June 2021 to September 2021, 61 patients who had undergone surgery for various pancreaticobiliary diseases were enrolled in this study, and their clinicopathological data were retrospectively analyzed.

Results

Many elderly patients with malignant diseases had poor American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores, significantly lower albumin and prealbumin levels, and higher systemic immune inflammation indices. The low prealbumin group was older; had poorer ASA scores; and had significantly lower body mass index and hemoglobin and albumin levels and higher systemic immune inflammation indices than the normal prealbumin group. In malignant diseases, the low prealbumin group had significantly lower body mass index and hemoglobin levels and a tendency toward more advanced disease (lymph node and distant metastasis).

Conclusion

Preoperative low prealbumin levels had an area under the receiver operator characteristic curve of 0.69, suggesting that it may be useful for predicting pancreaticobiliary malignancies. Prealbumin levels were lower in malignant diseases, possibly related to poor nutritional status and systemic immune inflammation. Low prealbumin levels may predict the risk of more advanced disease.

The Mini Nutritional Assessment tool's applicability for the elderly in Ethiopia: validation study

Background

The Mini Nutrition Assessment (MNA) is a widely used and valid tool for screening and assessment of malnutrition among the elderly population worldwide. However, MNA has not been validated among the Ethiopian elderly population and this study assessed the validity of the tool for the target population.

Methods

Cross-sectional validation study design employed to validate MNA in Meki town, East Ethiopia. This study included 176 randomly selected elders living in the community, whereas amputated, bedridden, visible deformity, known liver and/or renal disorders were excluded. The original MNA questionnaires were translated to local language and administered to each participant after doing the pretest. The anthropometric, self-perception of nutritional status and serum albumin concentrations were measured. Reliability, validity, sensitivity, specificity, Positive Predictive Value (PPV), and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) were calculated. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was plotted to identify the area under the curve (AUC) and optimal cut-off value for the prediction of malnutrition.

Result

A total of one hundred and seventy-six elders participated in this study. Of the total participants, 78(44.3%) were males. The mean (SD) age of the participants was 67.6 (±5.8) years and ranged from 60 to 84 years. The prevalence of malnutrition based on the MNA criteria (MNA < 17 points) was 18.2%, and 13.1% based on serum albumin concentration (<3 g/dl).The MNA had an overall Internal consistency of Cronbach's alpha 0.61. The tool also demonstrated significant criterion-related validity (0.75, p < 0.001) and concurrent validity (0.51, p < 0.001) with serum albumin concentration and self-perception of nutritional status respectively. Using the original cut-off point, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV and NPV of the tool were 93.5%, 44.6%, 65.4% and 86.0%, respectively. By modifying, the cut-off point to a value of <20.5, the sensitivity and specificity of the tool increases to 97.6% and 82.8% respectively. The AUC (95%CI) showed an overall accuracy of 92.7% (88.5, 96.9).

Conclusion

The MNA tool can be used as a valid malnutrition screening tool for the Ethiopian elderly population by modifying the original cut-off point.

Clinlabomics: leveraging clinical laboratory data by data mining strategies

The recent global focus on big data in medicine has been associated with the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) in diagnosis and decision-making following recent advances in computer technology. Up to now, AI has been applied to various aspects of medicine, including disease diagnosis, surveillance, treatment, predicting future risk, targeted interventions and understanding of the disease. There have been plenty of successful examples in medicine of using big data, such as radiology and pathology, ophthalmology cardiology and surgery. Combining medicine and AI has become a powerful tool to change health care, and even to change the nature of disease screening in clinical diagnosis. As all we know, clinical laboratories produce large amounts of testing data every day and the clinical laboratory data combined with AI may establish a new diagnosis and treatment has attracted wide attention. At present, a new concept of radiomics has been created for imaging data combined with AI, but a new definition of clinical laboratory data combined with AI has lacked so that many studies in this field cannot be accurately classified. Therefore, we propose a new concept of clinical laboratory omics (Clinlabomics) by combining clinical laboratory medicine and AI. Clinlabomics can use high-throughput methods to extract large amounts of feature data from blood, body fluids, secretions, excreta, and cast clinical laboratory test data. Then using the data statistics, machine learning, and other methods to read more undiscovered information. In this review, we have summarized the application of clinical laboratory data combined with AI in medical fields. Undeniable, the application of Clinlabomics is a method that can assist many fields of medicine but still requires further validation in a multi-center environment and laboratory.

Cognitive Status and Nutritional Markers in a Sample of Institutionalized Elderly People

Background

Since many of the risk factors for cognitive decline can be modified by diet, the study of nutrition and its relationships with cognitive status in aging has increased considerably in recent years. However, there are hardly any studies that have assessed cognitive status using a comprehensive set of neuropsychological tests along with measures of functional capacity and mood and that have related it to nutritional status measured from several nutritional parameters that have shown its relationships with cognitive function.

Objective

To test the differences in depressive symptomatology and in several measures of nutritional status between three groups classified according to their cognitive status (CS hereafter).

Method

One hundred thirteen participants from nursing homes in Galicia, Spain, underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological examination, including a general screening test (MMSE) and tests for different cognitive domains along with measures of activities of daily living (ADL) and assessment of depressive symptomatology (GDS-SF). According to established clinical criteria, participants were divided into three CS groups, Cognitively Intact (CI), Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), and All-Cause Dementia (ACD). Nutritional status was also examined using blood-derived measures, body mass index (BMI) and a nutritional screening test (MNA-SF). Differences between CS groups in all nutritional variables were studied by one-way ANOVAs with post-hoc Bonferroni correction or Kruskal-Wallis with Games-Howell post-hoc correction when appropriate. Multinomial logistic regression was also applied to test the association between nutritional variables and CS.

Results

Differences between CS groups were statistically significant for depressive symptomatology, vitamin A and D, albumin, selenium (Se), uric acid (UA), and BMI. The results of multinomial logistic regression found positive associations between groups with better CS and higher concentrations of vitamins A and D, transthyretin (TTR), albumin, Se, and UA, while negative associations were found for BMI.

Conclusion

Higher serum levels of vitamin A, vitamin D, TTR, albumin, Se, and UA could act as protective factors against cognitive decline, whereas higher BMI could act as a risk factor.

Transferrin and Prealbumin Identify Esophageal Cancer Patients with Malnutrition and Poor Prognosis in Patients with Normal Albuminemia: A Cohort Study

In this study, we aimed to analyze whether serum prealbumin and transferrin have a higher sensitivity than albumin for detecting malnutrition and predicting survival in esophageal cancer patients. A total of 212 patients were prospectively enrolled. Serum albumin, prealbumin, and transferrin were analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. The association of nutritional markers with survival was analyzed. We found that malnutrition was presented in 44.5% of the patients, while 56.6% were unaware of their body weight change. The area under the curve for diagnosing malnutrition was largest for prealbumin, followed by transferrin and albumin, with optimal breakpoints of 21 mg/dL, 206 mg/dL, and 4.3 g/dL, respectively, for diagnosing malnutrition. The diagnostic sensitivity for malnutrition was 34.1-63.4% with a single marker and this increased to 80.5% with all 3 markers. In patients with normal albuminemia (≥ 4.3 g/dL), a low level of prealbumin and/or transferrin predicted malnutrition and poor prognosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed that a low level of the nutritional marker was an independent poor prognostic factor. In conclusion, serum prealbumin and transferrin outperformed albumin in identifying esophageal cancer patients with malnutrition and poor prognosis. Checking all three markers will help with the early diagnosis of malnutrition and enable timely intervention.

The Prognostic value of the Fibrinogen to pre-albumin ratio in malignant tumors of the digestive system: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

In recent years, the Fibrinogen to pre-albumin ratio (FPR) has been reported in many studies to be significantly associated with the prognosis of various cancers. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to investigate the prognostic value of FPR in malignant tumors of the digestive system based on available evidence.

Methods

The relevant articles published before July 1, 2021, were systematically retrieved from electronic databases to evaluate the effect of Fibrinogen to pre-albumin ratio (FPR) on the prognosis of patients with malignant digestive system tumors and calculate the hazard ratio (HR) and the corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI).

Result

Thirteen articles, all from China, including 15 cohort studies and a total of 5116 cases, were included in this study. A high FPR was associated with poor overall survival (HR = 1.88, 95%CI 1.53–2.32, P < 0.001), recurrence-free survival (HR = 2.29, 95%CI 1.91–2.76, P < 0.001), progression-free survival (HR = 1.96, 95%CI: 1.33–2.90, P = 0.001), complications (HR = 1.78, 95%CI: 1.06–3.00, P = 0.029), disease-free survival (HR = 1.46, 95%CI: 1.08–1.97, P = 0.013) was significantly associated with cancer-specific survival (HR = 1.44, 95%CI: 1.15–1.79, P = 0.001). Even though intergroup differences were present, FPR was strongly associated with overall and relapse-free survival, and sensitivity analysis suggested that our results were stable.

Conclusion

FPR can be used as a valuable indicator to predict the prognosis of patients with malignant digestive system tumors.

The Association of Systemic Interleukin 6 and Interleukin 10 Levels with Sarcopenia in Elderly Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Objective

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is often associated with sarcopenia, and systemic inflammation is an underlying pathogenesis of COPD. In this study, the effects of interleukin (IL)- 6 and IL-10 levels on sarcopenia in patients with COPD were investigated.

Methods

Seventy-three patients (59 males and 14 females), aged 60–93 years old, who had stable COPD (not including patients with advanced lung decline) were enrolled in this study. The patients were classified according to four stages of lung function, based on the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease 2018, and their symptoms were evaluated using the COPD assessment test and mMRC dyspnea Scale. The skeletal muscle index (SMI) was evaluated using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry test, and walking pace and handgrip strength were measured to reflect muscle mass and function. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was made according to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia and China guide recommendations. The inflammation biomarkers IL-6 and IL-10 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Albumin (Alb) was measured using the bromocresol green method.

Results

Twenty-eight patients (38.36%) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. IL-6 (r = −0.38, P = 0.001) and IL-10 (r = −0.38, P = 0.001) were negatively correlated with the SMI, while the IL-10/IL-6 ratio had no correlation with sarcopenia. Multiple regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.11, P = 0.02) and IL-6 (OR = 1.07, P<0.05), had a strong correlation with sarcopenia, while IL-10 was not statistically significant in sarcopenia. However, body mass index (OR = 0.54, P = 0.002) had an opposite effect on muscle reduction.

Conclusion

The increase of IL-6 might be a factor associated with sarcopenia. However, the relationship between IL-10 and sarcopenia is unclear.

Sarcopenia and blood albumin: A systematic review with meta-analysis

La sarcopenia se caracteriza por la pérdida de musculatura durante el envejecimiento, lo que puede traer consecuencias para la salud. Se detecta de diversas formas, una de ellas, el uso de biomarcadores sanguíneos como la albúmina, aunque todavía no se ha establecido dicha asociación de forma definitiva.

Esta revisión sistemática y metaanálisis resume el conocimiento sobre la asociación entre sarcopenia y albúmina sérica en los adultos mayores, centrada en la etiología y los factores de riesgo. La revisión se hizo utilizando el programa del Joanna Briggs Institute y la búsqueda incluyó las bases de datos Medline, Embase, CINAHL, y LILACS; la búsqueda manual estuvo a cargo de dos revisores de forma independiente. Para el metaanálisis, se utilizó el programa EpiDat, versión 3.1; las diferencias de medias en los puntajes de albúmina desagregados por sarcopenia se analizaron mediante el modelo de efectos aleatorios. El grado de heterogeneidad se evaluó con la prueba Q de DerSimonian y Laird. Se analizaron 630 artículos, de los cuales 14 se incluyeron en la revisión. En el metaanálisis, se evidenciaron mayores cantidades de albúmina sanguínea en los adultos mayores que no presentaron sarcopenia frente a los que sí, una diferencia con significación estadística. Aunque hay estudios en los que se explora la asociación entre albúmina y sarcopenia, persiste la necesidad de evaluar la asociación entre los marcadores biológicos, comparándolos entre sí para determinar cuáles pueden utilizarse en la detección de sarcopenia en el adulto mayor.

Effect of the Mini Nutritional Assessment-Short Form (MNA-SF) in Elderly Burn Patients

OBJECTIVE

Nutritional assessment can early identify patients who are malnourished and at risk of malnutrition. To examine the effect of nutritional status on wound healing in elderly burn patients, we used the MNA-SF to measure the nutritional status of elderly patients. This study aimed to examine the role of MNA-SF in elderly burn patients through the correlation analysis of wound-healing indicators and MNA-SF score.

DESIGN

Prospective observational and cross-sectional study.

METHODS

This study used the MNA-SF to investigate the elderly burn patients at the department of burn. According to the score, the patients fell into three groups: good nutritional status (more than 12 points), malnutrition risk (8~11 points), and malnutrition (0~7 points). At the same time, we measured and compared the wound-healing indicators among the three groups of patients, and detected the correlation.

RESULTS

The statistical analysis found gender had a slight influence on the score of nutritional status. While age was negatively correlated with the MNA-SF score and nutrition-related indicators. There was a low positive linear correlation between the wound healing percent area change or wound healing rate of patients and the score of the MNA-SF.

CONCLUSION

This study finds malnutrition is common among hospitalized elderly burn patients. The application of the MNA-SF in elderly burn patients is efficient and accurate to identify malnutrition early and prevent further obstruction of the normal wound healing, which can provide reference points for early nutrition intervention programs.

Validity and Reliability of a Nutritional Screening Tool (SCAN) in Children Newly Diagnosed with Cancer

No standardized approach towards nutritional screening and assessment of pediatric oncology patients has been established. The nutrition screening tool for childhood cancer (SCAN) has been previously published as an effective screening method. This is an observational cross-sectional study to assess the validity and reliability of the SCAN tool, compare it to the detection of undernutrition using standard measures of assessment, and determine the overall prevalence of malnutrition and micronutrients alterations in our cohort. We included children newly diagnosed with cancer in a pediatric tertiary hospital in Madrid, Spain from August 2018 to May 2019. The following measurements were performed: SCAN questionnaire, anthropometric measurements, nutritional markers in blood, and micronutrient levels. A total of 49 patients were included. 22 patients (45%) were at risk of malnutrition according to the SCAN questionnaire. Four patients (8%) could be diagnosed with moderate undernutrition. These undernourished patients were distributed homogeneously among at-risk and not at-risk populations identified by the SCAN tool. Several micronutrient deficiencies were identified. We conclude that the SCAN questionnaire is an easy-to-use tool for everyday clinical practice. By not including anthropometric measurements it misses patients considered to be malnourished. Future data might help clarify if it is an effective tool in predicting a higher nutritional risk during the entire treatment course.

Nutritional risk and nutritional status in hospitalized older adults living with HIV in Shenzhen, China: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Nutrition is a crucial factor that can impact morbidity and mortality in older people living with HIV (PLWH). Studies on nutritional risk and nutritional status in all age groups in PLWH have been conducted. However, few studies have focused on nutritional risk in older PLWH. This study aimed to describe the nutritional risk and nutritional status in older PLWH, and explore factors associated with nutritional risk and undernutrition status.

METHODS

We conducted a cross-sectional study. We recruited participants aged 50 years or older from the Third People's Hospital of Shenzhen from January 2016 to May 2019. Nutritional risk and nutritional status were evaluated by the Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS 2002) tool, body mass index (BMI), albumin level, and prealbumin level on the first day of admission. Logistic regression models were used to identify the factors associated with undernutrition based on the BMI, albumin, and prealbumin criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 196 older PLWH were included in the analysis. We found that 36% of hospitalized older PLWH had nutritional risk, and 12-56% of them had undernutrition based on the BMI, albumin, and prealbumin criteria. An increased nutritional risk score was associated with older age (β = 0.265 CI [0.021, 0.096], P = 0.002), a higher viral load (β = - 0.186 CI [- 0.620, - 0.037], P = 0.028), a lower BMI (β = - 0.287 CI [- 0.217, - 0.058], P = 0.001), and a lower albumin level (β = - 0.324 CI [- 8.896, - 1.230], P = 0.010). The CD4 count was associated with the prevalence of undernutrition based on the albumin criterion (OR = 15.637 CI [2.742, 89.178], P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

Our study indicated that nutritional screening, assessment, and management should be routinely performed in hospitalized older PLWH. HIV-specific measures should be used to assess nutritional risk, and albumin, BMI, and other assessments should be used in combination to identify undernutrition in older PLWH.

Low-carbohydrate diets lead to greater weight loss and better glucose homeostasis than exercise: a randomized clinical trial

Lifestyle interventions, including dietary adjustments and exercise, are important for obesity management. This study enrolled adults with overweight or obesity to explore whether either low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) or exercise is more effective in metabolism improvement. Forty-five eligible subjects were randomly divided into an LCD group (n = 22) and an exercise group (EX, n = 23). The subjects either adopted LCD (carbohydrate intake < 50 g/day) or performed moderate-to-vigorous exercise (⩾ 30 min/day) for 3 weeks. After the interventions, LCD led to a larger weight loss than EX ( - 3.56 ± 0.37 kg vs. - 1.24 ± 0.39 kg, P < 0.001), as well as a larger reduction in fat mass ( - 2.10 ± 0.18 kg vs. - 1.25 ± 0.24 kg, P = 0.007) and waist circumference ( - 5.25 ± 0.52 cm vs. - 3.45 ± 0.38 cm, P = 0.008). Both interventions reduced visceral and subcutaneous fat and improved liver steatosis and insulin resistance. Triglycerides decreased in both two groups, whereas low-density lipoprotein cholesterol increased in the LCD group but decreased in the EX group. Various glycemic parameters, including serum glycated albumin, mean sensor glucose, coefficient of variability (CV), and largest amplitude of glycemic excursions, substantially declined in the LCD group. Only CV slightly decreased after exercise. This pilot study suggested that the effects of LCD and exercise are similar in alleviating liver steatosis and insulin resistance. Compared with exercise, LCD might be more efficient for weight loss and glucose homeostasis in people with obesity.

Research Progress of Preoperative FPR, FAR or AFR in Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Research has confirmed that plasma albumin (Alb), prealbumin (PA) and fibrinogen (Fib) are involved in regulating the occurrence and development of various tumors. Their levels in peripheral blood are related to the survival outcome and treatment response of patients, but the accuracy and specificity of single application have yet to be fully realized. A growing amount of evidence indicates that predictors such as preoperative fibrinogen to prealbumin ratio (FPR), fibrinogen to albumin ratio (FAR) or albumin to fibrinogen ratio (AFR) are emerging as comprehensive indicators. Indeed, their components play a key regulatory role in the progression of colorectal cancer (CRC). Preoperative FPR, FAR or AFR levels, therefore, are expected to become new biomarkers for prognosis evaluation and curative effect prediction for CRC patients and are significant in the guidance they could provide for the development of individualized treatment strategies.

Abnormal liver-related biomarkers in COVID-19 patients and the role of prealbumin

BACKGROUND/AIMS

We aimed to evaluate the distribution of abnormal liver-related biomarkers in patients with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and explore the prognostic value of elevated liver enzymes and abnormal liver synthetic capacity with regards to patient mortality.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

This retrospective observational study included 80 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases. Data were collected from the electronic medical record system by a trained team of physicians. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TB), albumin, and prealbumin levels at admission and on day 7 after admission were collected. The primary outcome of the current study was patient mortality.

RESULTS

Abnormal ALT, AST, TB, albumin, and prealbumin levels were observed in 11 (13.8%), 15 (18.8%), 5 (6.3%), 22 (27.5%), and 31 (38.8%) patients, respectively. Male gender correlated with elevated ALT and AST levels (p = 0.027 and 0.036, respectively). Higher levels of AST and lower levels of albumin and prealbumin were associated with patient mortality (p = 0.009, 0.002, and 0.003, respectively). Multivariate Cox regression analysis identified patient age (p = 0.013, HR 1.108) and prealbumin levels (p = 0.015, HR 0.986) as independent predictors for patient mortality. However, changes in liver-related biomarkers were not associated with poor outcome in multivariate analysis (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Abnormalities in albumin and prealbumin levels are common among COVID-19 patients and hypoprealbuminemia independently predicts adverse outcome and should be carefully considered in clinical practice. Moreover, changes in liver-related biomarkers is not a salient feature of COVID-19.

Rice bran arabinoxylan compound and quality of life of cancer patients (RBAC-QoL): Study protocol for a randomized pilot feasibility trial

Introduction

Rice bran arabinoxylan compound (RBAC) is a nutraceutical for enhancing a depleted immune system during and after cancer treatment. This pilot feasibility trial aims to evaluate the effects of RBAC on cancer patients' quality of life during active treatment, compared to placebo, using a validated questionnaire. Other outcome measures include changes in inflammatory and nutritional status, cytokine profile, and gut microbiota.

Methods/Design

The study will recruit 50 participants from a regional cancer center in Australia. Patients aged 18–70, diagnosed with solid organ cancers stage II and above, and currently undergoing active systemic therapies, are eligible. Random allocation of participants into two groups is stratified based on metastatic status and treatment type. The dosage is either 3 g/day of RBAC or placebo in identical packaging. The participants, study coordinator, and treating oncologists are blinded to the interventions. Data collections are at baseline and at four follow-up sessions, which are six weeks apart (24 weeks). Statistical analysis will involve a protected p-value with multiple dependent values and analyzed by ANOVA with repeated measures on the occasion of testing and with both a full Bonferroni or Sidak corrections applied to protect against Type I errors. Any observed significance warrants further analysis with pairwise comparisons. Analysis of covariance will also be performed to assess any influence of the demographic data, cancer diagnosis, as well as changes in physical activity, dietary habits, and complementary medicine usage. Comparisons of gut microbiota will be based on the analysis of the fecal microbiome using 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid amplicon sequencing. The proposed research timeline is from October 2018 to May 2022.

Trial registration

ANZCTR. Reg No: ACTRN12619000562178p.

Preoperative prealbumin levels on admission as an independent predictive factor in patients with gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

To explore the role of preoperative prealbumin levels in predicting the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer.

METHODS

A total of 989 gastric cancer patients in the Affiliated Tumour Hospital of Harbin Medical University who underwent gastrectomy were included in this retrospective study. The preoperative prealbumin level, clinicopathological data, and follow-up data were recorded. According to the maximum chi-square survival correlation value, the survival of patients with low preoperative prealbumin (<140 mg/L) and high preoperative prealbumin (≥140 mg/L) were compared using the log-rank test and the Cox proportional hazard regression model.

RESULTS

Based on the best cut-off value of 140 mg/L, we divided the patients into the lower prealbumin group (<140 mg/L) and the higher prealbumin group (≥140 mg/L). Compared with the higher prealbumin group, the lower prealbumin group were older and had larger tumor volumes, lower hemoglobin (Hb) levels, and more upper gastric cancer tumors. The univariate analysis showed that prealbumin and other clinicopathological factors, including age, hemoglobin, tumor size, macroscopic type, cell differentiation, liver metastasis, operation type, N stage, and T stage, were significant prognostic factors. The multivariable analysis showed that age, prealbumin, macroscopic type, location, T stage, and N stage were independent prognostic factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The preoperative prealbumin level was an independent prognostic factor for patients with gastric cancer. The preoperative prealbumin level can be used to predict the prognosis of patients with gastric cancer and guide clinical practice.

The malnutrition in polytrauma patients (MaPP) study: Research protocol

BACKGROUND

Polytrauma patients are at risk of considerable harm from malnutrition due to the metabolic response to trauma. However, there is little knowledge of (the risk of) malnutrition and its consequences in these patients. Recognition of sub-optimally nourished polytrauma patients and their nutritional needs is crucial to prevent complications and optimize their clinical outcomes.

AIM

The primary objective is to investigate whether polytrauma patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) who have or develop malnutrition have a higher complication rate than patients who are and remain well nourished. Secondary objectives are to determine the prevalence of pre-existent and in-hospital acquired malnutrition in these patients, to assess the association between malnutrition and long-term outcomes, and to determine the association between serum biomarkers (albumin and pre-albumin) and malnutrition.

METHODS

This international observational prospective cohort study will be performed at three Level-1 trauma centers in the United States and two Level-1 centers in the Netherlands. Adult polytrauma patients (Injury Severity Score ≥16) admitted to the ICU of one of the participating centers directly from the Emergency Department are eligible for inclusion. Nutritional status and risk of malnutrition will be assessed using the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) scale and Nutritional Risk in Critically Ill (NUTRIC) score, respectively. Nutritional intake, biomarkers and complications will be collected daily. Patients will be followed up to one year after discharge for long-term outcomes.

CONCLUSIONS

This international prospective cohort study aims to gain more insight into the effect and consequences of malnutrition in polytrauma patients admitted to the ICU.