Diagnostic criteria for malnutrition - An ESPEN Consensus Statement

OBJECTIVE

To provide a consensus-based minimum set of criteria for the diagnosis of malnutrition to be applied independent of clinical setting and aetiology, and to unify international terminology.

METHOD

The European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) appointed a group of clinical scientists to perform a modified Delphi process, encompassing e-mail communications, face-to-face meetings, in group questionnaires and ballots, as well as a ballot for the ESPEN membership.

RESULT

First, ESPEN recommends that subjects at risk of malnutrition are identified by validated screening tools, and should be assessed and treated accordingly. Risk of malnutrition should have its own ICD Code. Second, a unanimous consensus was reached to advocate two options for the diagnosis of malnutrition. Option one requires body mass index (BMI, kg/m(2)) <18.5 to define malnutrition. Option two requires the combined finding of unintentional weight loss (mandatory) and at least one of either reduced BMI or a low fat free mass index (FFMI). Weight loss could be either >10% of habitual weight indefinite of time, or >5% over 3 months. Reduced BMI is <20 or <22 kg/m(2) in subjects younger and older than 70 years, respectively. Low FFMI is <15 and <17 kg/m(2) in females and males, respectively. About 12% of ESPEN members participated in a ballot; >75% agreed; i.e. indicated ≥7 on a 10-graded scale of acceptance, to this definition.

CONCLUSION

In individuals identified by screening as at risk of malnutrition, the diagnosis of malnutrition should be based on either a low BMI (<18.5 kg/m(2)), or on the combined finding of weight loss together with either reduced BMI (age-specific) or a low FFMI using sex-specific cut-offs.

ESPEN-ESPGHAN-ECFS guidelines on nutrition care for infants, children, and adults with cystic fibrosis

BACKGROUND

Malnutrition is both a frequent feature and a comorbidity of cystic fibrosis (CF), with nutritional status strongly associated with pulmonary function and survival. Nutritional management is therefore standard of care in CF patients. ESPEN, ESPGHAN and ECFS recommended guidelines to cover nutritional management of patients with CF.

METHODS

The guidelines were developed by an international multidisciplinary working group in accordance with officially accepted standards. The GRADE system was used for determining grades of evidence and strength of recommendation. Statements were discussed, submitted to Delphi rounds, reviewed by ESPGHAN and ECFS and accepted in an online survey among ESPEN members.

RESULTS

The Working Group recommends that initiation of nutritional management should begin as early as possible after diagnosis, with subsequent regular follow up and patient/family education. Exclusive breast feeding is recommended but if not possible a regular formula is to be used. Energy intake should be adapted to achieve normal weight and height for age. When indicated, pancreatic enzyme and fat soluble vitamin treatment should be introduced early and monitored regularly. Pancreatic sufficient patients should have an annual assessment including fecal pancreatic elastase measurement. Sodium supplementation is recommended and a urinary sodium:creatinine ratio should be measured, corresponding to the fractional excretion of sodium. If iron deficiency is suspected, the underlying inflammation should be addressed. Glucose tolerance testing should be introduced at 10 years of age. Bone mineral density examination should be performed from age 8-10 years. Oral nutritional supplements followed by polymeric enteral tube feeding are recommended when growth or nutritional status is impaired. Zinc supplementation may be considered according to the clinical situation. Further studies are required before essential fatty acids, anti-osteoporotic agents, growth hormone, appetite stimulants and probiotics can be recommended.

CONCLUSION

Nutritional care and support should be an integral part of management of CF. Obtaining a normal growth pattern in children and maintaining an adequate nutritional status in adults are major goals of multidisciplinary cystic fibrosis centers.

Skeletal muscle mass and quality: evolution of modern measurement concepts in the context of sarcopenia

The first reports of accurate skeletal muscle mass measurement in human subjects appeared at about the same time as introduction of the sarcopenia concept in the late 1980s. Since then these methods, computed tomography and MRI, have been used to gain insights into older (i.e. anthropometry and urinary markers) and more recently developed and refined methods (ultrasound, bioimpedance analysis and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) of quantifying regional and total body skeletal muscle mass. The objective of this review is to describe the evolution of these methods and their continued development in the context of sarcopenia evaluation and treatment. Advances in these technologies are described with a focus on additional quantifiable measures that relate to muscle composition and 'quality'. The integration of these collective evaluations with strength and physical performance indices is highlighted with linkages to evaluation of sarcopenia and the spectrum of related disorders such as sarcopenic obesity, cachexia and frailty. Our findings show that currently available methods and those in development are capable of non-invasively extending measures from solely 'mass' to quality evaluations that promise to close the gaps now recognised between skeletal muscle mass and muscle function, morbidity and mortality. As the largest tissue compartment in most adults, skeletal muscle mass and aspects of muscle composition can now be evaluated by a wide array of technologies that provide important new research and clinical opportunities aligned with the growing interest in the spectrum of conditions associated with sarcopenia.

Malnutrition and sarcopenia predict post-liver transplantation outcomes independently of the Model for End-stage Liver Disease score

BACKGROUND

Although malnutrition and sarcopenia are prevalent in cirrhosis, their impact on outcomes following liver transplantation is not well documented.

METHODS

The associations of nutritional status and sarcopenia with post-transplant infections, requirement for mechanical ventilation, intensive care (ICU) and hospital stay, and 1 year mortality were assessed in 232 consecutive transplant recipients. Nutritional status and sarcopenia were assessed using the Royal Free Hospital-Global Assessment (RFH-GA) tool and the L3-psoas muscle index (L3-PMI) on CT, respectively.

RESULTS

A wide range of RFH-SGA and L3-PMI were observed within similar Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) sub-categories. Malnutrition and sarcopenia were independent predictors of all outcomes. Post-transplant infections were associated with MELD (OR = 1.055, 95%CI = 1.002-1.11) and severe malnutrition (OR = 6.55, 95%CI = 1.99-21.5); ventilation > 24 h with MELD (OR = 1.1, 95%CI = 1.036-1.168), severe malnutrition (OR = 8.5, 95%CI = 1.48-48.87) and suboptimal donor liver (OR = 2.326, 95%CI = 1.056-5.12); ICU stay > 5 days, with age (OR = 1.054, 95%CI = 1.004-1.106), MELD (OR = 1.137, 95%CI = 1.057-1.223) and severe malnutrition (OR = 7.46, 95%CI = 1.57-35.43); hospital stay > 20 days with male sex (OR = 2.107, 95%CI = 1.004-4.419) and L3-PMI (OR = 0.996, 95%CI = 0.994-0.999); 1 year mortality with L3-PMI (OR = 0.996, 95%CI = 0.992-0.999). Patients at the lowest L3-PMI receiving suboptimal grafts had longer ICU/hospital stay and higher incidence of infections.

CONCLUSIONS

Malnutrition and sarcopenia are associated with early post-liver transplant morbidity/mortality. Allocation indices do not include nutritional status and may jeopardize outcomes in nutritionally compromised individuals.

Sarcopenia and cachexia in the era of obesity: clinical and nutritional impact

Our understanding of body composition (BC) variability in contemporary populations has significantly increased with the use of imaging techniques. Abnormal BC such as sarcopenia (low muscle mass) and obesity (excess adipose tissue) are predictors of poorer prognosis in a variety of conditions or clinical situations. As a catabolic illness, a defining feature of cancer is muscle loss. Although the conceptual model of wasting in cancer is typically conceived as involuntary weight loss leading to low body weight, recent studies have shown that both sarcopenia and cachexia can be present with obesity. The combination of low muscle and high adipose tissue (sarcopenic obesity) is an emerging abnormal BC phenotype prevalent across the body weight, and hence BMI spectra. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity in cancer are in most instances occult conditions, which have been independently associated with higher incidence of chemotherapy toxicity, shorter time to tumour progression, poorer outcomes of surgery, physical impairment and shorter survival. Although the mechanisms are yet to be fully understood, the associations with poorer clinical outcomes emphasise the value of nutritional assessment as well as the need to develop appropriate interventions to countermeasure abnormal BC. Sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity create diverse nutritional requirements, highlighting the compelling need for a more comprehensive and differentiated understanding of energy and protein requirements in this heterogeneous population.

Perioperative nutrition: Recommendations from the ESPEN expert group

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Malnutrition has been recognized as a major risk factor for adverse postoperative outcomes. The ESPEN Symposium on perioperative nutrition was held in Nottingham, UK, on 14-15 October 2018 and the aims of this document were to highlight the scientific basis for the nutritional and metabolic management of surgical patients.

METHODS

This paper represents the opinion of experts in this multidisciplinary field and those of a patient and caregiver, based on current evidence. It highlights the current state of the art.

RESULTS

Surgical patients may present with varying degrees of malnutrition, sarcopenia, cachexia, obesity and myosteatosis. Preoperative optimization can help improve outcomes. Perioperative fluid therapy should aim at keeping the patient in as near zero fluid and electrolyte balance as possible. Similarly, glycemic control is especially important in those patients with poorly controlled diabetes, with a stepwise increase in the risk of infectious complications and mortality per increasing HbA1c. Immobilization can induce a decline in basal energy expenditure, reduced insulin sensitivity, anabolic resistance to protein nutrition and muscle strength, all of which impair clinical outcomes. There is a role for pharmaconutrition, pre-, pro- and syn-biotics, with the evidence being stronger in those undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal cancer.

CONCLUSIONS

Nutritional assessment of the surgical patient together with the appropriate interventions to restore the energy deficit, avoid weight loss, preserve the gut microbiome and improve functional performance are all necessary components of the nutritional, metabolic and functional conditioning of the surgical patient.

Review of nutritional screening and assessment tools and clinical outcomes in heart failure

Recent studies have suggested that undernutrition as defined using multidimensional nutritional evaluation tools may affect clinical outcomes in heart failure (HF). The evidence supporting this correlation is unclear. Therefore, we conducted this systematic review to critically appraise the use of multidimensional evaluation tools in the prediction of clinical outcomes in HF. We performed descriptive analyses of all identified articles involving qualitative analyses. We used STATA to conduct meta-analyses when at least three studies that tested the same type of nutritional assessment or screening tools and used the same outcome were identified. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to validate our positive results. We identified 17 articles with qualitative analyses and 11 with quantitative analysis after comprehensive literature searching and screening. We determined that the prevalence of malnutrition is high in HF (range 16-90 %), particularly in advanced and acute decompensated HF (approximate range 75-90 %). Undernutrition as identified by multidimensional evaluation tools may be significantly associated with hospitalization, length of stay and complications and is particularly strongly associated with high mortality. The meta-analysis revealed that compared with other tools, Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) scores were the strongest predictors of mortality in HF [HR (4.32, 95 % CI 2.30-8.11)]. Our results remained reliable after conducting sensitivity analyses. The prevalence of malnutrition is high in HF, particularly in advanced and acute decompensated HF. Moreover, undernutrition as identified by multidimensional evaluation tools is significantly associated with unfavourable prognoses and high mortality in HF.

Comparison of different nutritional assessments in detecting malnutrition among gastric cancer patients

AIM: To evaluate the prevalence of preoperative and postoperative malnutrition and the relationships between objective and subjective nutritional assessment of gastric cancer patients.

METHODS: From October 2005 to July 2006, we studied 80 patients with no evidence of recurrent disease and no loss to follow-up after curative surgery for gastric cancer. In this group, 9 patients underwent total gastrectomy and 71 patients subtotal gastrectomy. At admission, 6 and 12 mo after surgery, the patients were assessed on the subjective global assessment (SGA), nutritional risk screening (NRS-2002), nutritional risk index (NRI) and by anthropometric measurements and laboratory data. Differences between the independent groups were assessed with the Student’s t test and one-way analysis of variance. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were calculated to evaluate the association between the scores and variables.

RESULTS: The prevalence of malnutrition at admission was 31% by SGA and 43% by NRS-2002. At admission, the anthropometric data were lower in the malnourished groups defined by the SGA and NRS-2002 assessments, but did not differ between the groups using the NRI assessment. Body weight (BW), body mass index (BMI), triceps skin fold and midarm circumference were significantly reduced, but the total lymphocyte count, albumin, protein, cholesterol and serum iron levels did not decrease during the postoperative period. Six months after surgery, there was a good correlation between the nutritional assessment tools (SGA and NRS-2002) and the other nutritional measurement tools (BW, BMI, and anthropometric measurements). However, 12 mo after surgery, most patients who were assessed as malnourished by SGA and NRS-2002 had returned to their preoperative status, although their BW, BMI, and anthropometric measurements still indicated a malnourished status.

CONCLUSION: A combination of objective and subjective assessments is needed for the early detection of the nutritional status in case of gastric cancer patients after gastrectomy.

GLIM criteria has fair sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing malnutrition when using SGA as comparator

BACKGROUND & AIMS

The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) proposed a new framework for diagnosing malnutrition based on combinations of phenotypic and etiologic criteria. The aim of this study was to compare GLIM criteria to Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) judged to be the most validated standardized assessment of malnutrition.

METHODS

This is a retrospective analysis of variables extracted from a prospective cohort study assessing malnutrition at admission, in 18 Canadian hospitals. Based on the available parameters, GLIM was compared to SGA using the following combinations of one phenotypic and one etiologic criteria: A. weight loss and low intake; B. weight loss and high C-reactive protein (CRP); C. low body mass index (BMI) and low intake; D. low BMI, high CRP. Data were not available for fat-free mass. Since all patients had acute or chronic active disease as per GLIM etiologic criterion, CRP was used as a more specific measure to define inflammation. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values were calculated. Data are expressed as mean and Clopper-Pearson exact 95% confidence interval (CI).

RESULTS

From 1022 patients in the original dataset, 784 had all considered parameters with a prevalence of malnutrition (SGA B or C) of 45.15% (CI 41.60, 48.70), where severe malnutrition (SGA C) was 11.73% (CI 9.57, 14.20). Using the available GLIM parameters with the above combinations of two-criteria, the prevalence of malnutrition was 33.29% (CI 30.00, 36.71) and severe malnutrition was 19.77% (CI 17.00, 22.70). For all criteria combinations of GLIM together versus SGA, sensitivity was 61.30% (CI 56.0, 66.4), specificity was 89.77% (CI 86.5, 92.5) and PPV was 83.14% (CI 78.0, 87.5) while NPV was 73.80 (CI 69.8, 77.5). Sensitivity was improved when only SGA C for severe malnutrition was used as the criterion (82.61%; CI 73.3, 89.7) but PPV was greatly reduced (29.12%; CI 23.7, 35.0). Similarly, when using GLIM criteria for severe malnutrition only, sensitivity improved (76.09%; CI 66.1, 84.4). Any two criteria combinations of GLIM had much poorer sensitivity with the highest being weight loss + high CRP (46.33%) with a specificity of 93.02% (PPV: 84.54%; NPV: 67.80%), while the combination of low BMI + low intake had the highest specificity (98.84%) but with a sensitivity of 15.54% (PPV 91.67%; NPV: 58.70%).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on the CMTF dataset and using SGA as the most validated tool for diagnosing malnutrition, the two criteria combinations used for GLIM in the present study had fair criterion validity for the diagnosis of malnutrition, regardless of severity status. The best combinations were weight loss and high CRP or weight loss and low intake, both having high specificity at diagnosing malnutrition but unacceptably low sensitivity, and thus were considered poor. There may be potential for the full framework to be used to diagnose malnutrition, but individual combinations of two criteria when used exclusively will miss malnourished patients, as defined by SGA.

The role of diet in multiple sclerosis: A review

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a multifactorial, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system, where environmental factors interact with genetic susceptibility. The role of diet on MS has not been comprehensively elucidated; therefore, through an extensive search of relevant literature, this review reports the most significant evidence regarding nutrition as a possible co-factor influencing the inflammatory cascade by acting on both its molecular pathways and gut microbiota. Since nutritional status and dietary habits in MS patients have not been extensively reported, the lack of a scientific-based consensus on dietary recommendation in MS could encourage many patients to experiment alternative dietetic regimens, increasing the risk of malnutrition. This work investigates the health implications of an unbalanced diet in MS, and collects recent findings on nutrients of great interest among MS patients and physicians. The aim of this review is to elucidate the role of an accurate nutritional counseling in MS to move toward a multidisciplinary management of the disease and to encourage future studies demonstrating the role of a healthy diet on the onset and course of MS.

Handgrip strength is an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in maintenance dialysis patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Muscle wasting is associated with mortality in dialysis patients. The measurement of muscle mass has some limitations, while muscle strength assessment is simple, safe and allows the recognition of patients at risk of progressing to poor outcomes related to malnutrition. The aim of this study is verify if handgrip strength (HGS) is associated with all-cause mortality in patients in maintenance haemodialysis (HD) and peritoneal dialysis (PD).

METHODS

This was an observational retrospective cohort study which included all patients in maintenance HD and PD from July 2012 to October 2014. Patients were followed-up until June 2015.

RESULTS

Two-hundred sixty five patients were enrolled (218 HD and 47 PD) and they were followed for 13.4 ± 7.9 months. During the follow-up period, 53 patients (20%) have died, 36 patients (13.6%) have undergone renal transplantation, 13 patients (4.9%) have switched off dialysis method and 5 patients (1.9%) have transferred to another facility. The cut-off of HGS able to predict mortality was 22.5 kg for men and 7 kg for women. Using this cut-off to fit the Kaplan-Meier survival curve, the association of HGS with all-cause mortality for both genders was confirmed. Finally, in the multivariate analysis adjusted for demographic, clinical and nutritional variables, HGS remained significant predictor of mortality, independent of dialysis modality.

CONCLUSIONS

HGS cut-offs that predict mortality were 22.5 kg for men and 7 kg for women. HGS was associated with mortality independent of dialysis modality.

Nutrition in chronic pancreatitis

The pancreas is a major player in nutrient digestion. In chronic pancreatitis both exocrine and endocrine insufficiency may develop leading to malnutrition over time. Maldigestion is often a late complication of chronic pancreatic and depends on the severity of the underlying disease. The severity of malnutrition is correlated with two major factors: (1) malabsorption and depletion of nutrients (e.g., alcoholism and pain) causes impaired nutritional status; and (2) increased metabolic activity due to the severity of the disease. Nutritional deficiencies negatively affect outcome if they are not treated. Nutritional assessment and the clinical severity of the disease are important for planning any nutritional intervention. Good nutritional practice includes screening to identify patients at risk, followed by a thoroughly nutritional assessment and nutrition plan for risk patients. Treatment should be multidisciplinary and the mainstay of treatment is abstinence from alcohol, pain treatment, dietary modifications and pancreatic enzyme supplementation. To achieve energy-end protein requirements, oral supplementation might be beneficial. Enteral nutrition may be used when patients do not have sufficient calorie intake as in pylero-duodenal-stenosis, inflammation or prior to surgery and can be necessary if weight loss continues. Parenteral nutrition is very seldom used in patients with chronic pancreatitis and should only be used in case of GI-tract obstruction or as a supplement to enteral nutrition.

The Royal Free Hospital-Nutritional Prioritizing Tool Is an Independent Predictor of Deterioration of Liver Function and Survival in Cirrhosis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Malnutrition might affect survival and severity of complications in cirrhotic patients. However, adequate evaluation of the nutritional status is a difficult task since the common assessment tools are either inappropriate or too complicated. A simpler method could evaluate the patient's risk for malnutrition instead of the nutritional status itself. This study evaluated the prediction of clinical deterioration and transplant-free survival in patients with chronic liver disease by two nutritional risk scores.

METHODS

In 84 cirrhotic patients, Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS), Royal Free Hospital-Nutritional Prioritizing Tool (RFH-NPT), and the chronic liver disease questionnaire have been assessed. These patients were evaluated at a second time point after a median observation time of 500 days. Another cohort of 64 patients was collected to validate the findings.

RESULTS

Of the included patients, 67.7 % were male with a median age of 57 years and a median Child score of 9. RFH-NPT classified 50.7 % of the patients as high-risk patients, and NRS assessed 44.6 % of the patients as moderate- to high-risk patients. RFH-NPT correlated with clinical deterioration, severity of disease (Child score, MELD score), and clinical complications such as ascites, hepatorenal syndrome, and episodes of hepatic encephalopathy. RFH-NPT was an independent predictor of clinical deterioration and transplant-free survival. Furthermore, improvement in RFH-NPT within 500 days was associated with improved survival.

CONCLUSION

Assessing the patients' risk for malnutrition by RFH-NPT may be a useful predictor of disease progression and outcome for patients with chronic liver disease.

Phase angle obtained by bioelectrical impedance analysis independently predicts mortality in patients with cirrhosis

AIM

To evaluate the prognostic value of the phase angle (PA) obtained from bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) for mortality prediction in patients with cirrhosis.

METHODS

In total, 134 male cirrhotic patients prospectively completed clinical evaluations and nutritional assessment by BIA to obtain PAs during a 36-mo follow-up period. Mortality risk was analyzed by applying the PA cutoff point recently proposed as a malnutrition marker (PA ≤ 4.9°) in Kaplan-Meier curves and multivariate Cox regression models.

RESULTS

The patients were divided into two groups according to the PA cutoff value (PA > 4.9°, n = 73; PA ≤ 4.9°, n = 61). Weight, height, and body mass index were similar in both groups, but patients with PAs > 4.9° were younger and had higher mid-arm muscle circumference, albumin, and handgrip-strength values and lower severe ascites and encephalopathy incidences, interleukin (IL)-6/IL-10 ratios and C-reactive protein levels than did patients with PAs ≤ 4.9° (P ≤ 0.05). Forty-eight (35.80%) patients died due to cirrhosis, with a median of 18 mo (interquartile range, 3.3-25.6 mo) follow-up until death. Thirty-one (64.60%) of these patients were from the PA ≤ 4.9° group. PA ≤ 4.9° significantly and independently affected the mortality model adjusted for Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score and age (hazard ratio = 2.05, 95%CI: 1.11-3.77, P = 0.021). In addition, Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients with PAs ≤ 4.9° were significantly more likely to die.

CONCLUSION

In male patients with cirrhosis, the PA ≤ 4.9° cutoff was associated independently with mortality and identified patients with worse metabolic, nutritional, and disease progression profiles. The PA may be a useful and reliable bedside tool to evaluate prognosis in cirrhosis.

Sarcopenia as a prognostic predictor of liver cirrhosis: a multicentre study in China

BACKGROUND

Diagnostic criteria for sarcopenia have not been established in Chinese. This study established criteria based on the L3-skeletal muscle index (L3-SMI) and assessed its value for outcomes predicting in cirrhotic Chinese patients.

METHODS

Totally 911 subjects who underwent a CT scan at two centres were enrolled in Cohort 1 (394 male and 417 female subjects, aged 20-80 years). The data of those subjects younger than 60 years (365 male and 296 female subjects) were used to determine the reference intervals of the L3-SMI and its influencing factors. Cohort 2 consisted of 480 patients (286 male and 184 female patients) from three centres, and their data were used to investigate the prevalence of sarcopenia and evaluate the value of L3-SMI for predicting the prognosis and complications of cirrhosis.

RESULTS

Age and sex had the greatest effects on the L3-SMI (P < 0.001). The L3-SMI scores were clearly higher in male patients than in female patients (52.94 ± 8.41 vs. 38.91 ± 5.65 cm² /m² , P < 0.001) and sharply declined in subjects aged ≥ 60 years. Based on the mean -1.28 × SD among adults aged < 60 years, the L3-SMI cut-off value for sarcopenia was 44.77 cm² /m² in male patients and 32.50 cm² /m² in female patients. Using these values, 22.5% of the cirrhotic patients (28.7% of male patients and 11.9% of female patients) were diagnosed with sarcopenia. Compared with non-sarcopenia individuals, sarcopenia patients had lower body mass index (21.28 ± 3.01 vs. 24.09 ± 3.39 kg/m² , P < 0.001) and serum albumin levels (31.54 ± 5.93 vs. 32.93 ± 5.95 g/L, P = 0.032), longer prothrombin times (16.39 ± 3.05 vs. 15.71 ± 3.20 s, P = 0.049), higher total bilirubin concentrations (41.33 ± 57.38 vs. 32.52 ± 31.48 μmol/L, P = 0.039), worse liver function (Child-Pugh score, 8.05 ± 2.11 vs. 7.32 ± 2.05, P = 0.001), higher prevalence of cirrhosis-related complications (81.82% vs. 62.24%, P < 0.001) and mortality (30.68% vs. 11.22%, P < 0.001). Overall survival was significantly lower in the sarcopenia group [risk ratio (RR) = 2.643, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.646-4.244, P < 0.001], accompanied with an increased cumulative incidence of ascites (RR = 1.827, 95% CI 1.259-2.651, P = 0.002), spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (RR = 3.331, 95% CI 1.404-7.903, P = 0.006), hepatic encephalopathy (RR = 1.962, 95% CI 1.070-3.600, P = 0.029), and upper gastrointestinal varices (RR = 2.138, 95% CI 1.319-3.466, P = 0.002). Subgroup analysis showed sarcopenia shortened the survival of the patients with Model For End-Stage Liver Disease score > 14 (RR = 4.310, 95% CI 2.091-8.882, P < 0.001) or Child-Pugh C (RR = 3.081, 95% CI 1.516-6.260, P = 0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

Sarcopenia is a common comorbidity of cirrhosis and can be used to predict cirrhosis-related complications and the prognosis.

No significant independent relationships with cardiometabolic biomarkers were detected in the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Luxembourg study population

Recently, there has been an influx of research interest regarding the anti-inflammatory role that diet has in chronic and metabolic diseases. A literature-based dietary inflammatory index (DII) that can be used to characterize the inflammation-modulating capacity of individuals' diets has even been developed and validated in an American population. We hypothesized that the DII could predict levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP), which is an important inflammatory marker, as well as metabolic measures that include the metabolic syndrome and its components in European adults. This hypothesis was tested according to data from 1352 participants from the Observation of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Luxembourg study, a nationwide, cross-sectional survey based in Luxembourg. Statistical methods consisted of descriptive and multivariable logistic regression analyses. The DII ranged from a minimum of -4.02 (most anti-inflammatory) to a maximum of 4.00 points, with a mean value of -0.41. Participants with higher DII score were significantly younger and had lower body mass index, waist circumferences, and systolic blood pressure levels. Other cardiovascular biomarkers including diastolic blood pressure, CRP, lipids, and glycemic biomarkers did not vary significantly across DII tertiles. Participants with proinflammatory (>1) DII scores had increased adjusted odds (odds ratio, 1.46; 95% confidence interval, 1.00-2.13) of having a low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, compared with those with anti-inflammatory scores (DII ≤1). There were no significant relationships between high-sensitivity CRP and the DII. This study, which tested the inflammatory capacity of the DII outside the United States, did not detect a significant independent relationship with cardiometabolic biomarkers, by using Food Frequency Questionnaire-collected data. These results are informative and representative of a relevant step in directing future research for nutrition and diet quality.

Malnutrition associated with nutrition impact symptoms and localization of the disease: Results of a multicentric research on oncological nutrition

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Malnutrition in cancer is an independent factor associated with negative clinical outcomes. The aim was to evaluate the prevalence and independent risk factors for malnutrition in hospitalized cancer patients using the Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment (PG-SGA).

METHODS

We evaluated 4783 cancer patients, aged ≥20 years, in a hospital-based, multicenter, cross-sectional study. Patients were classified as well-nourished (PG-SGA Stage A), moderate/suspected malnutrition (PG-SGA Stage B), or severely malnourished (PG-SGA Stage C), and provided a score to define required nutritional interventions. Multivariate analysis was composed of the odds ratio (OR) estimated by ordinal polytomous logistic regression.

RESULTS

45.3% were classified as Stage B and 11.8% as Stage C. Moreover, 45.3% of the patients presented a need for nutritional intervention. The variables that presented the highest ORs for Stage B or Stage C were: problems with swallowing (OR 2.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.2-3.4, p < 0.001), loss of appetite (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.6-2.3, p < 0.001), vomiting (OR 1.8, 95% CI 1.5-2.3, p < 0.001), presence of more than 3 nutrition impact symptoms (OR 8.3, 95% CI 5.8-12, p < 0.001), and cancer site: lung (OR 4.6, 95% CI 3.2-6.6, p < 0.001), upper digestive cancer (OR 3.7, 95% CI 2.7-5.2, p < 0.001), and head and neck cancer (OR 3.7, 95% CI 2.7-5.2, p < 0.001). The score for Worksheet 4 on the PG-SGA had a higher association with malnutrition (OR 7.3, 95% CI 6.6-8.2, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Malnutrition is highly prevalent in cancer patients in Brazil, and is associated with nutritional impact symptoms, cancer site and age ≥65 years.

Diet approach before and after bariatric surgery

Bariatric surgery (BS) is today the most effective therapy for inducing long-term weight loss and for reducing comorbidity burden and mortality in patients with severe obesity. On the other hand, BS may be associated to new clinical problems, complications and side effects, in particular in the nutritional domain. Therefore, the nutritional management of the bariatric patients requires specific nutritional skills. In this paper, a brief overview of the nutritional management of the bariatric patients will be provided from pre-operative to post-operative phase. Patients with severe obesity often display micronutrient deficiencies when compared to normal weight controls. Therefore, nutritional status should be checked in every patient and correction of deficiencies attempted before surgery. At present, evidences from randomized and retrospective studies do not support the hypothesis that pre-operative weight loss could improve weight loss after BS surgery, and the insurance-mandated policy of a preoperative weight loss as a pre-requisite for admission to surgery is not supported by medical evidence. On the contrary, some studies suggest that a modest weight loss of 5-10% in the immediate preoperative period could facilitate surgery and reduce the risk of complications. Very low calories diet (VLCD) and very low calories ketogenic diets (VLCKD) are the most frequently used methods for the induction of a pre-operative weight loss today. After surgery, nutritional counselling is recommended in order to facilitate the adaptation of the eating habits to the new gastro-intestinal physiology. Nutritional deficits may arise according to the type of bariatric procedure and they should be prevented, diagnosed and eventually treated. Finally, specific nutritional problems, like dumping syndrome and reactive hypoglycaemia, can occur and should be managed largely by nutritional manipulation. In conclusion, the nutritional management of the bariatric patients requires specific nutritional skills and the intervention of experienced nutritionists and dieticians.

Poor diet quality and postoperative time are independent risk factors for weight regain after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

OBJECTIVE

In this study, multivariate analyses was used to investigate factors associated with weight regain long after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass.

METHODS

This retrospective study comprised 80 patients (88.8% female) with at least 24 mo of postoperative time. Weight regain was defined as an increase of at least 10% of the lowest postoperative weight. The following data were collected: demographic characteristics, eating behavior, food intake, diet quality measured by the Healthy Eating Index, level of physical activity, follow-up visit attendance, anthropometric history, and postoperative time. Multivariate logistic regression generated a controlled analysis, followed by calculation of the odds ratio (OR).

RESULTS

The mean postoperative time was 47.0 ± 18.0 mo. The mean pre- and postoperative body mass indexes were 49.8 ± 9.3 kg/m(2) and 33.6 ± 7.2 kg/m(2), respectively. Despite satisfactory postoperative weight loss, 23.7% of the patients regained weight. After controlling for confounders, only postoperative time (OR 1.08; P < 0.01) and Healthy Eating Index (OR 0.95; P = 0.04) remained associated with weight regain.

CONCLUSION

Patients with long-term obesity and poor diet quality were at high risk of weight regain. These results suggest the need of nutritional monitoring during the late postoperative period, paying special attention to eating patterns.

SEOM clinical guidelines on nutrition in cancer patients (2018)

Nutritional deficiency is a common medical problem that affects 15-40% of cancer patients. It negatively impacts their quality of life and can compromise treatment completion. Oncological therapies, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and drug therapies are improving survival rates. However, all these treatments can play a role in the development of malnutrition and/or metabolic alterations in cancer patients, induced by the tumor or by its treatment. Nutritional assessment of cancer patients is necessary at the time of diagnosis and throughout treatment, so as to detect nutritional deficiencies. The Patient-Generated Subjective Global Assessment method is the most widely used tool that also evaluates nutritional requirements. In this guideline, we will review the indications of nutritional interventions as well as artificial nutrition in general and according to the type of treatment (radiotherapy, surgery, or systemic therapy), or palliative care. Likewise, pharmacological agents and pharmaconutrients will be reviewed in addition to the role of regular physical activity.

The Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index predicts hospital length of stay and in-hospital weight loss in elderly patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS

Nutritional derangements are common in elderly patients, but how nutritional risk affects outcome in this subset of hospital inpatients deserves further investigation. We evaluated the impact of nutritional risk on length of stay (LOS) and in-hospital weight loss (WL) in elderly patients (>65 yrs).

METHODS

Nutritional risk was assessed by the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI) in a prospective multicentre hospital-based cohort study. The outcomes were LOS and in-hospital WL.

RESULTS

In the whole sample (N = 667), the prevalence of high (GNRI < 92) and mild (GNRI: 92-98) nutritional risk were 33% and 25%, respectively. Patients with a high nutritional risk were more likely (OR = 1.89; 95%CI: 1.22-2.92) to stay longer in hospital (fourth quartile, LOS ≥ 20 days) compared to those without. Other factors associated with prolonged LOS were cancer diagnosis (OR = 2.52; 95%CI: 1.69-3.75), the presence of comorbidities (OR = 1.24; 95%CI: 1.11-1.40) and surgical setting (OR = 1.65; 95%CI: 1.10-2.47). In-hospital WL ≥ 5% was recorded in 75 ambulant patients from a representative subgroup (N = 583). It was independently associated with prolonged LOS (OR = 1.80; 95%CI: 1.03-3.06) and was more frequent among cancer patients (OR = 1.88; 95%CI: 1.09-3.24), in patients with a high nutritional risk (OR = 2.23; 95%CI: 1.20-4.14) or those admitted to surgical units (OR = 1.77; 95%CI: 1.02-3.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Nutritional risk assessed by the GNRI on admission, predicts LOS and in-hospital WL in elderly patients.

Depression, malnutrition, and health-related quality of life among Nepali older patients

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the health, nutrition, and quality of life of the aging population in Nepal. Consequently, we aimed to assess the nutritional status, depression and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of Nepali older patients and evaluate the associated factors. Furthermore, a secondary aim was to investigate the proposed mediation-moderation models between depression, nutrition, and HRQOL.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted from January-April of 2017 among 289 Nepali older patients in an outpatient clinic at Nepal Medical College in Kathmandu. Nutritional status, depression and HRQOL were assessed using a mini nutritional assessment, geriatric depression scales, and the European quality of life tool, respectively. Linear regression models were used to find the factors associated with nutritional status, depression, and HRQOL. The potential mediating and moderating role of nutritional status on the relationship between depression and HRQOL was explored; likewise, for depression on the relationship between nutritional status and HRQOL.

RESULTS

The prevalence of malnutrition and depression was 10% and 57.4% respectively; depression-malnutrition comorbidity was 7%. After adjusting for age and gender, nutritional score (β = 2.87; BCa 95%CI = 2.12, 3.62) was positively associated and depression score (β = - 1.23; BCa 95%CI = - 1.72, - 0.72) was negatively associated with HRQOL. After controlling for covariates, nutritional status mediated 41% of the total effect of depression on HRQOL, while depression mediated 6.0% of the total effect of the nutrition on HRQOL.

CONCLUSIONS

A sizeable proportion of older patients had malnutrition and depression. Given that nutritional status had a significant direct (independently) and indirect (as a mediator) effect on HRQOL, we believe that nutritional screening and optimal nutrition among the older patients can make a significant contribution to the health and well-being of Nepali older patients. Nonetheless, these findings should be replicated in prospective studies before generalization.

Is nutritional status associated with the level of anxiety, depression and pain in patients with lung cancer?

Background

Nutritional deficiencies are common in lung cancer patients, especially in those with advanced and metastatic cancers. The pathogenesis of the development of nutritional disorders in cancer patients has not been fully explained. The study was performed in order to research associations between nutritional status and mental condition and pain. The aim of the study was to assess the relationship between nutritional status and the level of anxiety, depression and perceived pain in patients with lung cancer.

Methods

A total of 257 patients with lung cancer were enrolled. The Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) questionnaire was used to assess their nutritional status; the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) was used to assess their levels of anxiety and depression; the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) was used to assess levels of perceived pain.

Results

The MNA showed that 23% of the study group was malnourished, 33% at risk of malnutrition and 44% displayed a normal nutritional status. The HADS questionnaire showed that 65% of the study group had depressive symptoms and 65% had anxiety. The mean score of the VAS was 4.35. A significant negative correlation between nutritional status and pain was observed (r=-0.65; P<0.001) as well as between nutritional status and anxiety and depression (r=-0.68; P<0.001 and r=-0.60; P<0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

The prevalence of nutritional disorders and the intensity of somatic symptoms and psychological distress are high among lung cancer patients. The significant levels of depression, anxiety and pain in patients at risk of malnutrition which were highlighted in comparison to patients with a normal nutritional status indicate the need for early supportive psychotherapy or pharmacological interventions.

Clinical impact of Mediterranean-enriched-protein diet on liver size, visceral fat, fat mass, and fat-free mass in patients undergoing sleeve gastrectomy

BACKGROUND

Weight loss before laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) is desirable because it can reduce visceral fat and liver size thereby facilitating the surgical procedure. Preoperative very-low-energy diets have been demonstrated to decrease weight, visceral fat, and liver size. However, no studies have been conducted using the Mediterranean-protein-enriched diet (MPED) or on the amount of preoperative weight loss attributed to the loss of fat-free mass (FFM).

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the effect of the MPED on weight, visceral fat, liver size, fat mass (FM), and FFM in obese patients undergoing LSG.

SETTING

University Hospital, Italy.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Obese male patients (n = 37) with a mean body mass index (BMI) of 45.2 kg/m(2) scheduled for LSG underwent an 8-week preoperative MPED. Their weight, visceral fat, body composition, liver size, and biochemical and metabolic patterns were measured before and after the diet. Patient compliance was assessed by the presence of ketonuria and weight loss. Qualitative methods (5-point Likert questionnaire) were used to measure diet acceptability and side effects.

RESULTS

We observed highly significant decreases in weight, liver size, visceral fat, and FM; however, there was no significant reduction in FFM. All tested patients showed a high frequency of acceptability and compliance in following the diet, and no secondary effects were observed.

CONCLUSION

Based on our findings, we were able to support the hypothesis that MPED might be associated with significant reductions in weight loss, FM, and liver size without a significant loss of FFM.

[Children's eating behaviour: comparison between normal and overweight children from a school in Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil]

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate differences in children's eating behavior in relation to their nutritional status, gender and age.

METHODS:

Male and female children aged six to ten years were included. They were recruited from a private school in the city of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, in 2012. Children´s Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (CEBQ) subscales were used to assess eating behaviors: Food Responsiveness (FR), Enjoyment of Food (EF), Desire to Drink (DD), Emotional Overeating (EOE), Emotional Undereating (EUE), Satiety Responsiveness (SR), Food Fussiness (FF) and Slowness in Eating (SE). Age-adjusted body mass index (BMI) z-scores were calculated according to the WHO recommendations to assess nutritional status.

RESULTS:

The study sample comprised 335 children aged 87.9±10.4 months and 49.3% had normal weight (n=163), 26% were overweight (n=86), 15% were obese (n=50) and 9.7% were severely obese (n=32). Children with excess weight showed higher scores at the CEBQ subscales associated with "food approach" (FR, EF, DD, EOE, p<0.001) and lower scores on two "food avoidance" subscales (SR and SE, p<0.001 and p=0.003, respectively) compared to normal weight children. Differences in the eating behavior related to gender and age were not found.

CONCLUSIONS:

"Food approach" subscales were positively associated to excess weight in children, but no associations with gender and age were found.