A comparative between the supply and energy needs of hospitalized patients under enteral nutritional therapy

Introduction: Patients who are at risk of malnutrition are potential candidates for the use of enteral nutritional therapy (ENT), since it allows a more effective control of the patient's nutrition. When oral food intake is impossible or insufficient, enteral nutrition is the most appropriate physiological option aiming at the maintenance of gastrointestinal trophism. Studies show us that the protein-caloric needs of the hospitalized patients are seldom reached in the feeding tube supply, staying routinely between 70% and 80% of their needs. Methods: A descriptive study was conducted based on secondary data collected by the Multidisciplinary Team of Nutritional Therapy of a university hospital in Brazil to compare the caloric intake received by the hospitalized patients when in enteral nutritional therapy with their real needs. Results: A total of 43 adult inpatients who were in exclusive enteral nutrition were assessed. It was observed that the mean caloric intake received by the patients was 1,767±271kcal/day, reaching 94% of the estimated caloric needs, which were 321kcal/day. In relation to the nutritional status of the analyzed patients, it was found that 38% were at nutritional risk. Conclusion: The creation of protocols of nutritional support is of great importance to guide professionals in the prescription of ENT, aiming to improve the nutritional intake offered to hospitalized patients (AU)

Aspectos éticos e nutricionais em uma amostra de idosos institucionalizados e não-institucionalizados / Ethical and nutrition issues in a sample of institutionalized and non-institutionalized elderly

O presente estudo avaliou o estado nutricional, a qualidade de vida e a capacidade de tomada de decisão em idosos no município de Porto Alegre, RS. O estudo envolveu amostras compostas por 73 idosos moradores de Instituições de Longa Permanência (ILPs) e por 175 idosos não institucionalizados. Os dados obtidos mostraram que os idosos institucionalizados, comparados aos não institucionalizados, apresentaram diferenças significativas no risco para desenvolver doenças relacionadas ao estado nutricional, na qualidade de vida total e em seus domínios (Habilidade Sensorial, Autonomia, Atividades do passado, presente e futuro, Participação Social, Morte e Morrer e Intimidade). A maioria dos idosos, sejam eles institucionalizados ou não, demonstrou capacidade para tomada de decisão.

This study assessed the nutritional status, quality of life and decision making capacity in elderly people in Porto Alegre,RS. The study involved samples composed of 73 elderly residents of long-stay institutions (ILPS) and 175 non-institutionalized elderly. The data showed that institutionalized elderly compared to non-institutionalized, significant differences in risk for developing diseases related to nutritional status, the overall quality of life and its domains (Sensory Skill, Autonomy, activities of the past, present and future Social Participation, Death and Dying and Intimacy). The majority of elderly persons studied, whether institutionalized or not, preserve decision making capacity.

Associação entre a qualidade de vida das mães e o estado nutricional de seus filhos / Association between mothers' quality of life and infants' nutritional status

OBJETIVO: Verificar associações entre a qualidade de vida das mães e o estado nutricional de seus filhos. MÉTODOS: Foi realizado um estudo caso-controle com mães de crianças com idade entre zero e cinco anos, moradoras da área de abrangência de uma unidade básica de saúde, no município de Porto Alegre. O cálculo de tamanho amostral foi estimado em 152 mães, sendo 76 mães com filhos em risco nutricional/desnutrição (casos) e 76 mães com filhos eutróficos (controles). Foram coletadas informações referentes à qualidade de vida das mães, medida através do instrumento da Organização Mundial da Saúde, e analisada a associação entre a qualidade de vida materna e o estado nutricional de seus filhos. RESULTADOS: Em relação ao domínio psíquico, para cada criança eutrófica cuja mãe tem baixa qualidade de vida existe uma chance de 5,4 crianças em risco nutricional/desnutrição com mães em igual condição. No domínio ambiental, para cada criança eutrófica cuja mãe tem baixa qualidade de vida existe uma chance de 2,9 crianças em risco nutricional/desnutrição com mães em igual condição. Em relação ao nível educacional, para cada criança eutrófica cuja mãe tem baixa qualidade de vida existe uma chance de 4,2 crianças em risco nutricional/desnutrição com mães em igual condição. CONCLUSÕES: A baixa qualidade de vida materna mostrou-se associada ao risco nutricional/desnutrição infantil e pode ser um fator de risco para o estado nutricional dos filhos.

OBJECTIVE: Determine associations between the quality of life of mothers and the nutritional status of children. METHODS: case-control study involving 152 mothers of children aged zero to five years, living in the coverage area of a basic health unit in the city of Porto Alegre. The calculation of sample size was estimated as 152 mothers - 76 mothers with children at nutritional risk/malnutrition (cases) and 76 mothers with eutrophic children (controls). Information was collected regarding the quality of life of mothers, measured by the instrument of the World Health Organization, and the association between maternal quality of life and nutritional status of children was examined. RESULTS: In relation to the psychiatric realm, for each eutrophic child whose mother has lower quality of life there is a chance of 5.4 children at nutritional risk/malnutrition with mothers in the same condition. In the environmental field, for each eutrophic child whose mother has lower quality of life there is a chance of 2.9 children at nutritional risk/malnutrition with mothers in the same condition. Regarding educational level, for each eutrophic child whose mother has lower quality of life there is a chance of 4.2 children at nutritional risk/malnutrition with mothers in the same condition. CONCLUSIONS: Mothers' low quality of life was associated with an infant in nutritional risk/malnutrition and may be a risk factor for the nutritional status of children.