Nutrition on critical care

This paper presents baseline results from the NutriEcoMuscle study, a multicenter observational study conducted in Spain which focused on changes in nutritional status, body composition, and functionality in post-intensive care unit (ICU) COVID-19 patients following a nutritional intervention. Assessments at hospital discharge included Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria, the Barthel index, handgrip strength (HGS) and the Timed Up-and-Go test, bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), and nutritional ultrasound (US)...

This study explores the influence of hydrocolloid interactions between Guar Gum (GG) and Xanthan Gum (XG) on the stability and release dynamics of essential thyme oil emulsions. We systematically characterized six emulsions with varying GG and XG ratios, employing spray-drying techniques for the encapsulation process. The stability of the emulsions was quantitatively analyzed, revealing a marked decrease in stability rates correlated with higher initial emulsion activity (zero-order kinetic constant r = -0...

Perinatal exposure to pollutants, including persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals, poses significant risks to both mothers and children, marking this period as highly vulnerable. Despite the well-acknowledged benefits of breastfeeding, there exists a gap in comprehensive understanding regarding the impact of environmental pollutants on breast milk, underscoring the critical need for this study. Our research addresses this gap by exploring the intersection of environmental health and lactation, situated within the broader 'One Health' concept, thus contributing a novel perspective to the existing body of knowledge...

BACKGROUND: Nutritional assessment on admission of critical patients is of vital importance to determine critical patients in whom there is a risk of malnutrition. Currently, it has been detected in most of the patients admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) that 60% of the daily calories are not achieved. Nurses play an essential role in the comprehensive assessment of the patient, including the nutritional area; however, significant deficits have been detected in some knowledge regarding Enteral Nutrition (EN)...

Gastrointestinal dysfunction(GID) is frequently seen in critically ill patients and is associated with worse clinical outcomes. Medical nutrition therapy (MNT) is an integral part of critical care, which may be associated with improved clinical outcomes. The international practical guidelines or consensus for critically ill patients were recommended based on the results of previous investigations. However, the rationale of these recommendations was controversial by the findings of the most recent studies. This review discusses the current developments and controversy about nutritional assessment of critically ill patients prior to medical nutrition therapy, early enteral nutrition, target of trophic feeding, and time to target achievement...

BACKGROUND: The early years is a critical stage to establish optimal nutrition and movement behaviours. Community playgroups are a relaxed environment for parents with a focus on social connection and supporting parents in their role as 'First Teachers'. Playgroups are therefore an opportunistic setting to promote health behaviours in the early years. To support parents with young children around healthy lifestyle behaviours, the Healthy Conversations @ Playgroup program was delivered in urban and regional areas, across three Australian jurisdictions between 2021-2023...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The escalating prevalence of diabetes mellitus may benefit from add-on therapeutic approaches. Given the recognized need for an updated synthesis of the literature, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize and critically assess the available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigate the efficacy of probiotics and synbiotics on glycemic control in patients with Type 1 (T1DM) and Type 2 (T2DM) diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Comprehensive searches were conducted on PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science, focusing on adults with T1DM or T2DM...

DISCLAIMER: In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time. PURPOSE: Some diseases require that patients receive parenteral nutrition (PN) over a prolonged time period...

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Zinc (Zn) quantification is of particular interest in many clinical condition (e.g. inflammatory disease, critical care). Currently, Zn status is assessed by measuring plasma/serum concentration. This concentration corresponds to the sum of unbound Zn (Zn-Cu ) and Zn highly bound to albumin (Zn-Cb ). METHODS: Using a pharmacokinetic approach to the interpretation of total Zn concentration (Zn-Ct ), taking into account Zn-Cu and the influence of hypoalbuminemia on Zn-Cb , it is possible to improve the individualization of Zn repletion...

BACKGROUND: Critically ill patients with cancer are at high risk of developing malnutrition, negatively affecting their outcome. AIM: To critically analyse nursing staff's adherence to nutrition management guidelines for critically unwell patients with cancer and identify barriers which prevent this. Two areas of nutrition management were evaluated: early initiation (<48 h from admission) of enteral nutrition (EN) and continuation of EN without interruption...

Background: Over the years, there has been a noticeable increase in the incidence of multiple pregnancies, due in part to the increased use of assisted reproductive technologies in recent years. The increase in twin pregnancies constitutes a public health challenge due to the adverse outcomes sometimes they entail. Twin pregnancies inherently carry a higher risk of complications, and one of the critical associated factors is the risk of low birth weight. Twin birth weight discordance among different populations can be attributed to differences in non-shared environmental influences...

BACKGROUND: Multiple risk assessment scales are available for predicting the development of pressure injuries (PIs) in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). Most PI risk assessment tools have been validated at the time of admission; however, another time point during treatment could better reflect clinical changes and therefore, the risk of PIs. AIMS: The study aimed to examine the predictive validity of PI risk assessment scale designed for ICU patients, the conscious level, mobility, haemodynamic, oxygenation and nutrition (COMHON) index, at several time points or intervals during ICU stay...

Many people dread prolonged dying with suffering in the terminal illness, advanced dementia. To successfully facilitate a timely dying, advance directives must be effective and acceptable. This article considers whether authorities, including treating physicians, can accept as moral, the effective intervention that ceases caregivers' assistance with oral feeding and hydrating. The article presents eight criticisms and "alternate views" regarding ceasing assisted feeding/hydrating. It draws on perspectives from clinical medicine, law, ethics, and religion...

Microbial amphiphiles play an important role in environmental activities such as microbial signaling, bioremediation, and biofilm formation. Microorganisms rely on their unique characteristics of interfaces to carry out critical biological functions, which are helped by amphipathic biomolecules known as amphiphiles. Bacillus amyloids aid in cell adhesion and biofilm formation. Pseudomonas sp. are essential in biofilm development and are a vital survival strategy for many bacteria. Furthermore, Pseudomonas and Bacillus are well-known for their ability to produce biosurfactants with a range of applications, including bioremediation and removing biological pollutants from different environments...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Emerging evidence suggests that the gut microbiota and its metabolites regulate neurodevelopment and cognitive functioning via a bi-directional communication system known as the microbiota-gut-brain axis (MGBA). RECENT FINDINGS: The MGBA influences brain development and function via the hypothalamic-pituitary axis, the vagal nerve, immune signaling, bacterial production of neurotransmitters, and microbial metabolites like short-chain fatty acids, tryptophan derivatives, and bile acids...

Enteral feeding is a crucial aspect of nutritional support for critically ill patients. However, the optimal feeding approach, whether bolus or continuous, remains a subject of debate. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to compare the outcomes of bolus feeding and continuous enteral feeding in critically ill patients. A systemic search was carried out in PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL) Ultimate, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar to identify relevant studies...

This study aimed to evaluate the association between the oral health status and appetite in community-dwelling older adults. We enrolled 100 people aged ≥65 years who had participated in long-term care prevention projects between December 2018 and January 2019. Appetite was assessed using the Council on Nutrition Appetite Questionnaire score. The oral health status was assessed based on the number of teeth, occlusal condition, swallowing function, tongue coating, and the Oral Health Assessment Tool...

BACKGROUND: Guidelines recommend prioritizing protein provision while avoiding excessive energy delivery to critically ill patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), but there are no prospective studies evaluating such a targeted approach in this group. We aimed to evaluate the effect of a "higher-protein formula protocol" on protein, energy, and volume delivery when compared with standard nutrition protocol. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients with COVID-19 who received mechanical ventilation for >72 h and enteral nutrition...

BACKGROUND: Since weaning failure is multifactorial, comprehensive weaning scores encompassing not only the respiratory component but also nonrespiratory aspects are quintessential for successful weaning prediction. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a single-center prospective observational study on 128 intensive care unit (ICU) patients undergoing spontaneous breathing trials (SBT). The extubation prediction score (ExPreS), heart rate, acidosis, consciousness, oxygenation, respiratory rate (HACOR), and weaning parameters, endotracheal tube size, arterial blood gas analysis, nutrition, secretions, neuromuscular affecting agents, obstructive airway problems and wakefulness (WEANSNOW) scores were compared for their diagnostic accuracy for successful weaning prediction...

BACKGROUND: The Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score and the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) have emerged as important nutritional indices because they provide an objective assessment based on data. We aimed to investigate how these nutritional indices relate to outcomes in patients with sepsis. METHODS: Data were collected retrospectively at five hospitals for patients aged ≥18 years receiving treatment for sepsis between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2021...