Malnutrition in older adults.

Malnutrition is a highly prevalent condition in older adults, and poses a substantial burden on health, social, and aged-care systems. Older adults are vulnerable to malnutrition due to age-related physiological decline, reduced access to nutritious food, and comorbidity. Clinical guidelines recommend routine screening for malnutrition in all older adults, together with nutritional assessment and individually tailored nutritional support for older adults with a positive screening test. Nutritional support includes offering individualised nutritional advice and counselling; oral nutritional supplements; fortified foods; and enteral or parenteral nutrition as required. However, in clinical practice, the incorporation of nutritional guidelines is inadequate and low-value care is commonplace. This Review discusses the current evidence on identification and treatment of malnutrition in older adults, identifies gaps between evidence and practice in clinical care, and offers practical strategies to translate evidence-based knowledge into improved nutritional care. We also provide an overview of the prevalence, causes, and risk factors of malnutrition in older adults across health-care settings.

[Parenteral nutrition-associated complications in patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection]. / Complicaciones asociadas a la nutrición parenteral en los enfermos con infección por SARS-CoV-2.

Introduction: Background: it is unknown whether patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to COVID-19 are at greater risk of developing complications associated with parenteral nutrition (PN). Aim: to describe the incidence, risk factors, and clinical impact of complications in patients with ARDS-COVID-19 receiving PN. Methods: a prospective cohort study of 87 patients with ARDS-COVID-19 infection. The incidence of complications and odds ratios of risk factors were analysed. Results: age ≥ 65 years (OR, 2.52, 95 % CI: 1.16 to 5.46), obesity (OR, 3.34, 95 % CI: 2.35 to 4.33) and treatment with propofol (OR, 2.45, 95 % CI: 1.55 to 3.35) or lopinavir/ritonavir (OR, 4.98, 95 % CI: 3.60 to 6.29) were risk factors for hipertriglyceridemia. Obesity (OR, 3.11, 95 % CI: 1.10 to 8.75), dyslipidemia (OR, 3.22, 95 % CI: 1.23 to 8.40) or treatment with propofol (OR, 5.47, 95 % CI: 1.97 to 15.1) were risk factors for intravascular catheter-related infection. No risk factors were described for hiperglycemia. Mortality was higher in patients with intravascular catheter-related infection (46.7 % vs 10.8 %, p = 0.014). Mortality risk was higher in older patients (OR, 2.74, 95 % CI: 1.08 to 6.95) or patients with intravascular catheter-related infection (OR, 3.22, 95 % CI: 1.23 to 8.40). Conclusions: the incidence of complications associated with PN in patients with COVID-19-related ARDS is frequent. The mortality risk is higher in older patients or those with catheter-related infection.

Introducción: Introducción: se desconoce si los pacientes diagnosticados de infección respiratoria aguda por SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) presentan más riesgo de complicaciones asociadas a la nutrición parenteral (NP). Objetivo: conocer la incidencia, los factores de riesgo y la mortalidad de las complicaciones asociadas a la NP en esta población. Métodos: estudio de cohortes prospectivo de 87 pacientes diagnosticados de infección por SARS-CoV-2. Se analizan la tasa de incidencia de las complicaciones y las odds ratio (OR) de diferentes factores. Resultados: la edad ≥ 65 años (OR: 2,52, IC 95 %: 1,16 a 5,46), los antecedentes de obesidad (OR: 3,34, IC 95 %: 2,35 a 4,33) y el tratamiento con propofol (OR: 2,45, IC 95 %: 1,55 a 3,35) o lopinavir/ritonavir (OR: 4,98, IC 95 %: 3,60 a 6,29) se asociaron al desarrollo de hipertrigliceridemia. Los pacientes con obesidad (OR: 3,11, IC 95 %: 1,10 a 8,75) o dislipemia (OR: 3,22, IC 95 %: 1,23 a 8,40) y los tratados con propofol (OR: 5,47, IC 95 %: 1,97 a 15,1) presentaron mayor riesgo de infección asociada al catéter (IAC). No se observó ningún factor de riesgo relacionado con el desarrollo de hiperglucemia. La mortalidad fue mayor en los pacientes con IAC (46,7 % vs. 10,8 %, p = 0,014). El riesgo de mortalidad fue superior en los enfermos de ≥ 65 años (OR: 2,74, IC 95 %: 1,08 a 6,95) o con IAC (OR: 3,22, IC 95 %: 1,23 a 8,40). Conclusiones: la incidencia de complicaciones asociadas a la NP en pacientes diagnosticados de infección por SARS-CoV-2 es elevada. El riesgo de mortalidad es superior en los enfermos mayores de 65 años o con IAC.

Acute Hypertriglyceridemia in Patients with COVID-19 Receiving Parenteral Nutrition.

Hypertriglyceridemia is a metabolic complication associated with parenteral nutrition (PN). It is unknown if patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) secondary to COVID-19 are more at risk. Our aim was to describe the incidence, risk factors and clinical impact of hypertriglyceridemia in critically ill patients with ARDS-COVID-19 receiving PN. We designed a cohort study of patients with ARDS-COVID-19 infection that required admission to critical care units and nutritional support with PN. Individual PN prescriptions for macronutrients and insulin were provided. Lipid emulsion contained fish oil (SMOFlipid® or Lipoplus®). Hypertriglyceridemia was defined as plasma levels above 400 mg/dL. Eighty-seven patients, 66.6% men, 60.1 ± 10.8 years old, BMI 29.1 ± 5.6 kg/m2, 71% of whom received lopinavir/ritonavir, 56% received Propofol and 55% received Tocilizumab were included. The incidence of hypertriglyceridemia was 37 × 100 patient-days with PN. This complication was more frequent in obese patients (OR 3.34; 95% CI, 2.35-4.33) and in those treated with lopinavir/ritonavir (OR 4.98; 95% CI, 3.60-6.29) or Propofol (OR 2.45; 95% CI, 1.55-3.35). Total mortality was 33.3%, similar between the type of lipid emulsion (p = 0.478). On average, patients with hypertriglyceridemia had a longer requirement of PN compared to the group without elevated triglycerides (TG), probably because of their longer survival (p = 0.001). TG higher than 400 mg/dL was not a protective factor for mortality (OR 0.31; 95% CI, 0.01-1.30). In conclusion, the incidence of hypertriglyceridemia was 37 × 100 patient-days with PN. The risk of this complication is associated with obesity and the use of lopinavir/ritonavir or Propofol.

Use of Continuous Glucose Monitoring to Assess Parenteral Nutrition-Induced Hyperglycemia in an Adult Patient With Severe COVID-19.

Many patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are acutely malnourished and often require aggressive and early nutrition support with parenteral nutrition (PN). However, PN-induced hyperglycemia is a predictor of hospital mortality and is associated with increased length of stay. Elevated blood glucose in hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is also associated with increased mortality. Real-time continuous glucose monitoring (rtCGM) is primarily used in the outpatient setting, but there is rapidly growing interest in its applicability to help treat dysglycemia in critically ill patients, especially during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We assessed the use of rtCGM data (Dexcom G6) in a 58-year-old male admitted to the ICU for severe COVID-19 infection, who developed PN-induced hyperglycemia with markedly elevated total daily insulin requirements as high as 128 units. rtCGM was used to safely titrate insulin infusion and monitor glucose levels. No episodes of hypoglycemia were observed, despite an extremely aggressive insulin regimen. This case demonstrates the potential utility of rtCGM in the critical care setting and highlights its potential to help conserve personal protective equipment and minimize unnecessary staff exposure in the setting of COVID-19.