Severity of pain is associated with insufficient energy coverage in hospitalised patients: A cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The severity of pain is routinely assessed in hospitalised patients but the impact of pain and pain control on energy coverage has been poorly studied. This One-day cross-sectional observational study assessed the association between severity of pain and coverage of energy needs in hospitalised patients. METHODS: Foods provided and consumed were assessed on one day by dedicated dieticians for unselected hospitalised patients receiving three meals per day. Severity of pain was evaluated by a visual analogue scale at the mealtimes, averaged over the study day, and categorized as no pain, slight, moderate or severe pain. The coverage of energy needs was expressed in percentage of predicted needs. RESULTS: Among the 755 included patients, 63% reported having pain. Severe pain was associated with a lower energy coverage than no pain (p = 0.001) or slight pain (p = 0.001). Insufficient energy coverage, defined as ≤70% of predicted needs, occurred in 13% of the patients. In univariate logistic regressions, predictors of insufficient energy coverage were severe pain as compared to no pain (OR 2.38; 95% CI 1.21, 4.64) and treatment with opioid drugs as compared to no pain killer (OR 1.73; 95% CI 1.07, 2.79). When including sex, age, body mass index, treatment with analgesics and severity of pain in a multivariate logistic regression, severe pain more than doubled the risk of insufficient energy coverage (OR 2.32; CI 1.15, 4.66). CONCLUSIONS: Patients experiencing severe pain have a high risk of insufficient energy coverage. Optimal pain control is probably critical to prevent underfeeding in the hospital. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Identifier no NCT02463565 on www.ClinicalTrials.gov.

Prescription and indication for oral nutritional supplements in a Swiss university hospital: a prospective survey.

AIMS OF THE STUDY: Patients with an acute or chronically negative nutritional balance are at nutritional risk. Oral nutritional supplements (ONS) are simple and effective medical treatments of nutritional risk. In the ambulatory setting, in Switzerland, ONS are reimbursed by public insurance under conditions defined by Swiss Society for Clinical Nutrition. The reimbursement requires a medical prescription for ONS and their delivery at the patient's home by a homecare service. The indication for the ONS, defined as a Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 (NRS-2002) score ≥3, must also be present. This survey aimed to document: (i) the existence of a medical prescription for ONS during hospitalisation and discharge for home, (ii) the adequacy of the indication for ONS during hospitalisation and at discharge for home, and (iii) the continuation or not of ONS treatment 1 month after discharge for home. METHODS: This prospective survey included adult patients hospitalised in the departments of surgery, medicine or rehabilitation and who were about to receive ONS for the first time. Patients already on ONS, with major consciousness disorders, who refused to take ONS or to participate to the survey were excluded. The existence of a medical prescription for ONS and the adequacy of the indication (Nutritional Risk Screening-2002 [NRS-2002] score ≥3) were evaluated at first ONS delivery and at hospital discharge. At home, the continuation of ONS consumption was evaluated by the homecare service 1 month after discharge. Results are presented as mean ± standard deviation or frequencies and percentages, and comparisons between patients with and without ONS at discharge for home. RESULTS: A total of 416 patients (age 71.7 ± 14.1 yr, 52.6% male, body mass index 23.6 ± 5.2 kg/m2) were included. At the first delivery of ONS, 44.5% (n = 185) of patients had no medical prescription for the supplements, and 82.7% (n = 344) had an NRS-2002 score ≥3. Out of 207 patients discharged for home, only 24.2% (n = 50) had an adequate homecare ONS prescription and 68% (n = 141) had a NRS-2002 score ≥3. One month after discharge for home, 76% (n = 29) were still taking ONS. CONCLUSIONS: In our survey, only few patients receiving ONS during the hospital stay had a medical prescription for ONS during the hospitalisation and at discharge for home. For most patients receiving ONS during hospitalisation and at discharge for home, an NRS-2002 score of ≥3 was present. If a medical prescription was provided, ONS were generally continued one month after discharge for home. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT02476110.

[Nutritional management for patients hospitalized during allogeneic stem cell transplantation: Guidelines from the Francophone Society of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy (SFGM-TC)]. / Prise en charge nutritionnelle des patients hospitalisés pour allogreffe de CSH : recommandations de la Société francophone de greffe de moelle et de thérapie cellulaire (SFGM-TC).

Allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation is usually applied with success for patients with diseases involving bone marrow and associated with frequent and severe malnutrition. Denutrition is an independent survival factor and contribute to transplant-related mortality. Due to the heaviness of the treatment, this event is frequent. Before allogeneic transplantation, the nutritional statute should be evaluated. The adult or pediatric patient's evaluation modalities and nutritional needs are detailed in this paper. The administration modalities (enteral or parenteral) with doses are specifically precise. We also explain why the enteral nutritional support may remain the best option comparing to parenteral option.

Healthcare-associated infections are associated with insufficient dietary intake: an observational cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Indicators to predict healthcare-associated infections (HCAI) are scarce. Malnutrition is known to be associated with adverse outcomes in healthcare but its identification is time-consuming and rarely done in daily practice. This cross-sectional study assessed the association between dietary intake, nutritional risk, and the prevalence of HCAI, in a general hospital population. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Dietary intake was assessed by dedicated dieticians on one day for all hospitalized patients receiving three meals per day. Nutritional risk was assessed using Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS)-2002, and defined as a NRS score ≥ 3. Energy needs were calculated using 110% of Harris-Benedict formula. HCAIs were diagnosed based on the Center for Disease Control criteria and their association with nutritional risk and measured energy intake was done using a multivariate logistic regression analysis. From 1689 hospitalised patients, 1024 and 1091 were eligible for the measurement of energy intake and nutritional risk, respectively. The prevalence of HCAI was 6.8%, and 30.1% of patients were at nutritional risk. Patients with HCAI were more likely identified with decreased energy intake (i.e. ≤ 70% of predicted energy needs) (30.3% vs. 14.5%, P = 0.002). The proportion of patients at nutritional risk was not significantly different between patients with and without HCAI (35.6% vs.29.7%, P = 0.28), respectively. Measured energy intake ≤ 70% of predicted energy needs (odds ratio: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.24 to 4.11, P = 0.008) and moderate severity of the disease (odds ratio: 3.38; 95% CI: 1.49 to 7.68, P = 0.004) were associated with HCAI in the multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Measured energy intake ≤ 70% of predicted energy needs is associated with HCAI in hospitalised patients. This suggests that insufficient dietary intake could be a risk factor of HCAI, without excluding reverse causality. Randomized trials are needed to assess whether improving energy intake in patients identified with decreased dietary intake could be a novel strategy for HCAI prevention.

[Integration of nutritional care into cancer treatment: need for improvement]. / Soin nutritionnel intégré au soin oncologique: un besoin d'optimisation.

Progresses in cancer treatment transformed cancer into a chronic disease associated with growing nutritional problems. Poor nutritional status of cancer patients worsens morbidity, mortality, overall cost of care and decreases patients' quality of life, oncologic treatments tolerance and efficacy. These adverse effects lead to treatment modifications or interruptions, reducing the chances to control or cure cancer. Implementation of an interdisciplinary and longitudinal integration of nutritional care and nutritional information into cancer treatment (The OncoNut Program) could prevent or treat poor nutritional status and its adversely side effects.

Assessment of food intake in hospitalised patients: a 10-year comparative study of a prospective hospital survey.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: A food quality control and improvement permanent process was initiated in 1999. To evaluate the food service evolution, protein-energy needs coverage were compared in 1999 and 2008 with the same structure survey in all hospitalized patients receiving 3 meals/day. METHODS: Nutritional values of food provided, consumed and wasted over 24h including non-exclusive nutritional support were calculated individually. Nutritional needs were estimated as 110% of Harris-Benedict formula for energy and 1.2 or 1.0 g protein/kg/day for patients <65 or ≥65 years old, respectively. Multivariate analysis identified factors associated with low nutritional intake in both populations standardized to body mass index (BMI) of 1999's patients. RESULTS: Out of 1677 patients, 1291 were included. Mean BMI was higher in 2008 than 1999 (P<0.001). The proportion of underfed patients was unchanged (69 vs. 70%, NS). The consumption of ≥1 oral nutritional supplements (ONS) daily increased the protein needs coverage from 80% to 115% (P<0.001). The year 1999, high BMI, 1st week of hospital stay, specific diet, ONS absence and low meal quality were associated with low nutritional intakes. CONCLUSION: The nutritional needs coverage could have improved in 2008 if BMI was similar to 1999's. ONS consumption is associated with a lower risk of underfeeding in hospitalized patients.