Quality of life and enteral nutrition

Impact of Swallowing Impairment on Quality of Life of Individuals with Dysphagia

To explore oral intake and quality of life measures among individuals with dysphagia. This cross-sectional study with purposive sampling included 15 individuals with dysphagia. Functional oral intake scale (FOIS) and Dysphagia Quality of Life questionnaire in Marathi (DQOL-QM) were administered on individuals with dysphagia to evaluate oral intake levels and swallow related quality of life respectively. Data was collected using the interview method via tele-mode. Statistical analysis using Spearman's rank correlation revealed significant negative correlation (ρ = - 0.87) between oral intake and overall quality of life of the individuals with dysphagia. This negative impact was observed across all the domains of their quality of life. A considerable negative impact on quality of life was observed with declining oral intake of the individual with dysphagia. As oral intake plays an important role in the quality of life, decisions regarding the mode of feeding must be guided by the preferences of the individual and their family. strategies that enhance oral intake improves quality of life of dysphagic individual.

Impact of an Oral Nutritional Protocol with Oligomeric Enteral Nutrition on the Quality of Life of Patients with Oncology Treatment-Related Diarrhea

(1) Background: Nutritional status can influence the quality of life (QoL) of cancer patients. (2) Methods: This subanalysis evaluated the impact of an oral oligomeric enteral nutrition (OEN) protocol on the QoL of patients with oncology treatment-related diarrhea (OTRD) in a multicenter, observational, prospective study (DIAPOENO study). QoL was assessed with the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) at baseline and after eight weeks of OEN treatment. (3) In the overall population, all the NHP categories significantly improved after eight weeks of OEN treatment: energy levels (p < 0.001), pain (p < 0.001), emotional reactions (p < 0.001), sleep (p < 0.001), social isolation (p = 0.023), and physical abilities (p = 0.001). QoL improvement was higher in patients with improved or maintained nutritional status and in those with improved consistency of stools with the OEN protocol. However, QoL did not significantly improve in patients with worse nutritional status and with worse or maintained stool consistency with the OEN protocol. QoL improved regardless of disease severity. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that weight change was significantly associated with improved QoL (OR 2.90-5.3), except for social isolation, in models unadjusted and adjusted to age, sex, oncology treatment, and stool consistency. (4) Conclusion: In this subanalysis, the OEN protocol was associated with improved QoL.

Influence of malnutrition stage according to GLIM 2019 criteria and SGA on the quality of life of patients with advanced cancer

Introduction

Introduction: the nutritional status of cancer patients should be screened regularly due to their high risk of malnutrition, which impairs patient quality of life (QoL). Therefore, an assessment of nutritional status is strongly necessary. Recently, the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria for assessing the severity of malnutrition were published (2019). Objectives: the primary aim of this study was the assessment of nutritional status and QoL in advanced cancer patients. A secondary aim was to investigate the impact of malnutrition severity on QoL in these patients. Methods: this study included 33 advanced cancer patients (head/neck, esophageal, gastric) from the Nutritional Counselling Centre Copernicus in Gdansk, and the Department of Surgical Oncology, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland. The assessment of nutritional status was conducted with the 2019 GLIM criteria and the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) method. QoL was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF questionnaire (WHOQOL-BREF). Results: according to the SGA method, most of the patients were malnourished (42.42 %) or severely malnourished (42.42 %). Based on the GLIM criteria, 69.7 % of patients (n = 23) were severely malnourished. Among all participants, the highest impairments of QoL were observed in the environmental and psychological domains of the self-assessed satisfaction with own health questionnaire. Severe malnutrition significantly impairs QoL in the psychological (GLIM stage 2, p = 0.0033; SGA C, p = 0.0310) and somatic domains (GLIM stage 2, p = 0.0423). Conclusions: most patients with advanced cancer are malnourished or severely malnourished. Overall, the QoL of these patients is impaired. The severity of malnutrition has an impact on the QoL of cancer patients, which is observed as an impairment of mainly psychological and somatic aspects. This is the first study assessing the impact of malnutrition severity, as based on the new 2019 GLIM criteria, on the QoL of advanced cancer patients.

The Challenge of Managing Undernutrition in Older People with Frailty

Many older people with frailty are at risk of malnutrition and poor health, yet there is evidence that improving nutrition and weight loss can reduce frailty. This will become more important as the number of older people with frailty increases worldwide in future. Identifying those at risk is challenging due to the difficulty of reaching and screening those older people most at risk, the large number of nutritional assessment tools used, and the lack of consensus on the criteria to make a diagnosis of malnutrition. The management of older people with or at risk of malnutrition should be multi-modal and multi-disciplinary, and all care staff have an important role in delivering appropriate nutritional advice and support. This paper will highlight a number of practical approaches that clinicians can take to manage malnutrition in older people with frailty in community and acute settings, including environmental changes to enhance mealtime experience, food fortification and supplementation.

ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition and hydration in geriatrics

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition and dehydration are widespread in older people, and obesity is an increasing problem. In clinical practice, it is often unclear which strategies are suitable and effective in counteracting these key health threats.

AIM

To provide evidence-based recommendations for clinical nutrition and hydration in older persons in order to prevent and/or treat malnutrition and dehydration. Further, to address whether weight-reducing interventions are appropriate for overweight or obese older persons.

METHODS

This guideline was developed according to the standard operating procedure for ESPEN guidelines and consensus papers. A systematic literature search for systematic reviews and primary studies was performed based on 33 clinical questions in PICO format. Existing evidence was graded according to the SIGN grading system. Recommendations were developed and agreed in a multistage consensus process.

RESULTS

We provide eighty-two evidence-based recommendations for nutritional care in older persons, covering four main topics: Basic questions and general principles, recommendations for older persons with malnutrition or at risk of malnutrition, recommendations for older patients with specific diseases, and recommendations to prevent, identify and treat dehydration. Overall, we recommend that all older persons shall routinely be screened for malnutrition in order to identify an existing risk early. Oral nutrition can be supported by nursing interventions, education, nutritional counseling, food modification and oral nutritional supplements. Enteral nutrition should be initiated if oral, and parenteral if enteral nutrition is insufficient or impossible and the general prognosis is altogether favorable. Dietary restrictions should generally be avoided, and weight-reducing diets shall only be considered in obese older persons with weight-related health problems and combined with physical exercise. All older persons should be considered to be at risk of low-intake dehydration and encouraged to consume adequate amounts of drinks. Generally, interventions shall be individualized, comprehensive and part of a multimodal and multidisciplinary team approach.

CONCLUSION

A range of effective interventions is available to support adequate nutrition and hydration in older persons in order to maintain or improve nutritional status and improve clinical course and quality of life. These interventions should be implemented in clinical practice and routinely used.

Patients' perspectives of living with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG)

BACKGROUND

Since enteral nutrition therapy is the preferred nutritional support for dysphagic patients with a range of diagnoses, PEG has become part of traditional care. However, enteral nutrition with PEG transfers treatment responsibility and activity to the patients and their carers, so the advantages should be discussed. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate patients' experience of living with a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) in order to increase the understanding of patients' need for support.

METHOD

In a prospective study at Karolinska University Hospital in Sweden, data were collected consecutively at the time of PEG and two months later using a study-specific questionnaire about each patient's experience of living with a PEG. Fishers exact test was used to test for statistically significant difference at five per cent level.

RESULTS

There were 104 responders (response rate of 70%). Women felt more limited in daily activity compared to men (p = 0.004). Older patients experienced a more limited ability to influence the number of feeding times compared to younger (p = 0.026). Highly educated patients found feeding more time-consuming (p = 0.004). Patients with a cancer diagnosis reported that the PEG feeding interfered with their oral feeding more than patients with a neurological disease (p = 0.009). Patients mostly contacted the PEG outpatient clinic with problems regarding their PEG, and were mainly assisted by their spouse rather than district nurses.

CONCLUSIONS

PEG feeding is time-consuming and interferes with daily life. Although 73% was satisfied, patients' experiences of living with a PEG may be dependent on age, sex, education and diagnosis. Spouses are the main carers for PEG patients at home, and patients prefer to go to the PEG outpatient clinic for help if problems occur.

The use of biodegradable (SX-ELLA) oesophageal stents to treat dysphagia due to benign and malignant oesophageal disease

BACKGROUND

Biodegradable (BD) oesophageal stents have been available commercially only since 2008 and previous published research is limited. Our aim was to review the use of BD stents to treat dysphagia in benign or malignant oesophageal strictures.

METHODS

Patients were identified from a prospective interventional radiological database. BD stents were inserted radiologically under fluoroscopic control.

RESULTS

Between July 2008 and February 2011, 25 attempts at placing SX-ELLA biodegradable oesophageal stents were made in 17 males and five females, with a median age of 69 (range = 54-80) years. Two patients required more than one BD stent. Indications were benign strictures (n = 7) and oesophageal cancer (n = 17). One attempt was unsuccessful for a technical success rate of 96% with no immediate complications. Clinical success rate was 76%. Median dysphagia score before stent insertion was 3 (range = 2-4) compared to 2 (range = 0-3) after stent insertion (p = 0.0001).

CONCLUSION

BD stents provide good dysphagia relief for the life time of the stent. They may help avoid the use of feeding tubes in patients having radical chemoradiotherapy or awaiting oesophagectomy. They do not require removal or interfere with radiotherapy planning via imaging. However, the reintervention rate is high after the stent dissolves.

Medical treatment for burn patients with eating disorders: a case report

There have been many cases of burn patients who also suffer from psychiatric problems, including eating disorders. We present a case of a 38-year-old female with an eating disorder and depression who became light-headed and fell, spilling boiling water from a kettle on herself at home sustaining partial thickness and full thickness burns over 5% of her total body surface area: left buttock and right thigh and calf. Eating disorders (in the present case, anorexia nervosa) cause emaciation and malnutrition, and consent for hospitalization from the patient and/or family is often difficult. During the medical treatment of burns for these patients, consideration not only of physical symptoms caused by malnutrition but also the psychiatric issues is required. Therefore, multifaceted and complex care must be given to burn patients with eating disorders.

Long-term percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy feeding in young adults with multiple disabilities

AIM

To study the outcomes from initiation of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feeding in young people with profound multiple disabilities.

METHODS

Observations were made on 40 adults with lifelong intellectual disability (mental retardation) and quadriplegia, in whom PEG feeding was initiated during 1990-2008. There were 20 men and 20 women aged 15-40 years at the time of the audit, living in settings with 24 h registered nurse staffing.

RESULTS

Undernutrition and recurrent aspiration with frequent infections were cited as reasons for PEG feeding. The positive outcomes were that some were said to be more alert for a time following the procedure; and these young adults lived with PEG feeding for an average of 8.5 years, some up to 18 years. In that time, however, they all experienced complications of the PEG insertion, and of the PEG feeding process. There were no measurable improvements in cognition. There were no reductions in prescription of medications. They all required frequent daily interventions by nurses to maintain medical stability. Ten people died during this review period, from continued deterioration in neurological status, with pneumonia cited as the terminal event.

CONCLUSIONS

Unlike other people with neurological deterioration, young adults with lifelong multiple disabilities may live for many years with PEG feeding. There is little gain in quality of life.