Evidence base for specialized nutrition support

Perioperative Artificial Enteral Nutrition in Malnourished Esophageal and Stomach Cancer Patients and Its Impact on Postoperative Complications

Cancer is responsible for approximately 13% of all causes of death worldwide, and 20% of cancer patients die because of malnutrition and its complications. Malnutrition is common in cancer of stomach and esophagus. Although it is widely accepted that malnutrition adversely affects the postoperative outcome of patients, there is little evidence that perioperative nutrition support can reduce surgical risk in malnourished cancer patients. This prospective study was carried out from December 2016 to July 2017 at the Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru. After stratified for age, sex, and tumor localization, patients were selected non-randomly and assigned to study (n = 30, 14 women, 16 men) and control group (n = 30, 14 women, 16 men) as alternate patients. Within 48 h of admission, patients underwent nutritional assessment by the subjective global assessment. Perioperative nutrition was administered in the study group by enteral route only. Patients had a functioning gastrointestinal tract, and they received enteral nutrition (EN). Target intake of non-protein (25 kcal/kg per day) and protein (0.25 g nitrogen/kg per day) was provided using available enteral formulas. This was supplementary to standard hospital diet. Nutritional re-assessment after 15 days of intervention showed significant change in nutritional status, which was measured as gain in weight for each patient. There were significant differences in the mortality and complications between the two groups. The total length of hospitalization and postoperative stay of the control patients were significantly longer than those of the study patients. In conclusion, perioperative nutrition support can decrease the incidence of postoperative complications in moderately and severely malnourished gastric and esophageal cancer patients. In addition, it is effective in reducing mortality. Enteral nutrition support alone can be used in the management of malnourished patients undergoing gastric and esophageal surgery.

Perioperative artificial nutrition in malnourished gastroin-testinal cancer patients

AIM: To investigate the potential role of perioperative nutrition in reducing complications and mortality in malnourished gastrointestinal cancer patients.

METHODS: Four hundred and sixty-eight elective moderately or severely malnourished surgical patients with gastric or colorectal cancers defined by the subjective global assessment (SGA) were randomly assigned to 7 d preoperative and 7 d postoperative parenteral or enteral nutrition vs a simple control group. The nutrition regimen included 24.6±5.2 kcal /kg per d non-protein and 0.23±0.04 g nitrogen /kg per d. Control patients did not receive preoperative nutrition but received 600±100 kcal non-protein plus or not plus 62 ± 16 g crystalline amino acids postoperatively.

RESULTS: Complications occurred in 18.3% of the patients receiving nutrition and in 33.5% of the control patients (P = 0.012). Fourteen patients died in the control group and 5 in those receiving nutrition. There were significant differences in the mortality between the two groups (2.1% vs 6.0%, P = 0.003). The total length of hospitalization and postoperative stay of control patients were significantly longer (29 vs 22 d, P = 0.014) than those of the studied patients (23 vs 12 d，P = 0.000).

CONCLUSION: Perioperative nutrition support is beneficial for moderately or severely malnourished gastrointestinal cancer patients and can reduce surgical complications and mortality.

Structure and organisation of 47 nutrition support teams in Germany: a prospective investigation in 2000 German hospitals in 1999

OBJECTIVE

Evaluation. Contrary to the Anglo-American region, very little is known in Germany on the structure and organisation of nutrition support teams (NST).

DESIGN

Prospective investigation of the structure and organisation of German NST, using standardised interview questionnaires.

SETTINGS

Hospitals with more than 250 beds in Germany.

SUBJECTS

German NST (n=47).

INTERVENTIONS

Face-to-face interview in 1999, using a standardised questionnaire.

RESULTS

From a total of 2000 German hospitals, NST have been established at 47 hospitals (2.3%). Most NST are affiliated to a large university hospital or an academic teaching hospital. In general, the NST are not independently operating units but are affiliated to a special discipline, and were in operation for an average of 8 y. The NST cared for a median of 65 outpatients annually. At the university hospitals in average, 477 in-patients were treated per year, at the teaching hospitals 400 and at all other hospitals 179. The work of the NST centred on enteral nutrition. A total of 47% of the physicians, 19% of the nurses and 19% of the dietitians in the NST held a nutrition-specific additional qualification. A total of 2% of the physicians, 68% of the nurses and 77% of the dietitians are exclusively responsible for the NST. More than 70% of the financing of the personnel was secured through third-party funds.

CONCLUSION

In Germany, neither uniform nor comprehensive patient care by NST existed in 1999. More than 50% of all NST members do not hold a nutrition-specific additional qualification. Frequently, besides their tasks in the team, the NST staff also carries out other clinical functions. Contrary to the American NST, the German NST are not interdisciplinary operating units but are primarily financed through third-party funds of the industry.