A case of necrotizing enterocolitis in full-term infant on his first day of life-Early presentation with multifactorial etiology.

We aimed to show the complexity of NEC in the full-term newborns. Additionally, we wanted to underline the importance of breastfeeding from the first day of life and show how deteriorating effect the antibiotics can have on gastrointestinal tract.

Optimal Nutrition Parameters for Neonates and Infants with Congenital Heart Disease.

Congenital heart defects are known causes of malnutrition. Optimal nutritional management is paramount in improving short and long-term prognosis for neonates and infants with congenital heart malformations, as current strategies target preoperative and postoperative feeding requirements. Standardized enteral and/or parenteral feeding protocols, depending on the systemic implications of the cardiac defect, include the following common practices: diagnosing and managing feeding intolerance, choosing the right formula, and implementing a monitoring protocol. The latest guidelines from the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and the European Society of Paediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care, as well as a significant number of recent scientific studies, offer precious indications for establishing the best feeding parameters for neonates and infants with heart defects.

Iatrogenic severe hyperglycemia due to parenteral administration of glucose in children - a case series.

BACKGROUND: Iatrogenic severe hyperglycemia (ISH) caused by glucose-containing i.v. solution is a potentially fatal treatment error. The objective of this study was to investigate the causes, circumstances, course of disease, and complications of ISH > 300 mg/dl (16.7 mmol/l) in neonates and children. METHODS: We emailed a survey to 105 neonatal and pediatric intensive care units in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, asking to retrospectively report cases of ISH. RESULTS: We received 11 reports about premature infants to children. Four patients (36%) had poor outcome: 2 died and 2 suffered persistent sequelae. The highest observed blood glucose was at median 983 mg/dl (54.6 mmol/l) (range 594-2240 mg/dl; 33.0-124.3 mmol/l) and median time to normoglycemia was 7 h (range 2-23). Blood glucose was higher and time to normoglycemia longer in patients with poor outcome. Invasive therapy was required in 73% (mechanical ventilation) and 50% (vasopressor therapy) of patients, respectively. Administration of insulin did not differ between outcome groups. Patients with poor outcome showed coma (100% vs. 40%) and seizures (75% vs. 29%) more frequently than those with good outcome. CONCLUSIONS: ISH is a severe condition with high morbidity and mortality. Further research to amplify the understanding of this condition is needed, but focus should largely be held on its prevention.

Nutrition therapy and critical illness: practical guidance for the ICU, post-ICU, and long-term convalescence phases.

BACKGROUND: Although mortality due to critical illness has fallen over decades, the number of patients with long-term functional disabilities has increased, leading to impaired quality of life and significant healthcare costs. As an essential part of the multimodal interventions available to improve outcome of critical illness, optimal nutrition therapy should be provided during critical illness, after ICU discharge, and following hospital discharge. METHODS: This narrative review summarizes the latest scientific insights and guidelines on ICU nutrition delivery. Practical guidance is given to provide optimal nutrition therapy during the three phases of the patient journey. RESULTS: Based on recent literature and guidelines, gradual progression to caloric and protein targets during the initial phase of ICU stay is recommended. After this phase, full caloric dose can be provided, preferably based on indirect calorimetry. Phosphate should be monitored to detect refeeding hypophosphatemia, and when occurring, caloric restriction should be instituted. For proteins, at least 1.3 g of proteins/kg/day should be targeted after the initial phase. During the chronic ICU phase, and after ICU discharge, higher protein/caloric targets should be provided preferably combined with exercise. After ICU discharge, achieving protein targets is more difficult than reaching caloric goals, in particular after removal of the feeding tube. After hospital discharge, probably very high-dose protein and calorie feeding for prolonged duration is necessary to optimize the outcome. High-protein oral nutrition supplements are likely essential in this period. Several pharmacological options are available to combine with nutrition therapy to enhance the anabolic response and stimulate muscle protein synthesis. CONCLUSIONS: During and after ICU care, optimal nutrition therapy is essential to improve the long-term outcome to reduce the likelihood of the patient to becoming a "victim" of critical illness. Frequently, nutrition targets are not achieved in any phase of recovery. Personalized nutrition therapy, while respecting different targets during the phases of the patient journey after critical illness, should be prescribed and monitored.

Risk Factors for Late-Onset Sepsis in Preterm Infants: A Multicenter Case-Control Study.

BACKGROUND: Late-onset sepsis (LOS) in preterm infants is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity. Timely recognition and initiation of antibiotics are important factors for improved outcomes. Identification of risk factors could allow selection of infants at an increased risk for LOS. OBJECTIVES: The aim was to identify risk factors for LOS. METHODS: In this multicenter case-control study, preterm infants born at ≤30 weeks of gestation were included at 9 neonatal intensive care units. Detailed demographical and clinical data were collected daily up to day 28 postnatally. Clinical and demographic risk factors were identified using univariate and multivariate regression analyses in a 1: 1 matched case-control cohort. RESULTS: In total, 755 infants were included, including 194 LOS cases (41 gram-negative cases, 152 gram-positive cases, and 1 fungus). In the case-control cohort, every additional day of parenteral feeding increased the risk for LOS (adjusted OR = 1.29; 95% CI 1.07-1.55; p = 0.006), whereas antibiotics administration decreased this risk (OR = 0.08; 95% CI 0.01-0.88; p = 0.039). These findings could largely be attributed to specific LOS-causative pathogens, since these predictive factors could be identified for gram-positive, but not for gram-negative, LOS cases. Specifically cephalosporins administration prior to clinical onset was inversely related to coagulase-negative staphylococcus LOS (CoNS-LOS) development. Formula feeding was an independent risk factor for development of CoNS-LOS (OR = 3.779; 95% CI 1.257-11.363; p = 0.018). CONCLUSION: The length of parenteral feeding was associated with LOS, whereas breastmilk administration was protective against CoNS-LOS. A rapid advancement of enteral feeding, preferably with breastmilk, may proportionally reduce the number of parenteral feeding days and consequently the risk for LOS.

Is home parenteral nutrition safe for cancer patients? Positive effects and potential catheter-related complications: A systematic review.

PURPOSE: Total Parenteral Nutrition began to be applied frequently in the houses of patients starting from the 1990s and is stated in literature as Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN). The purpose of this review is to answer the question of whether or not HPN is safe for cancer patients. METHODS: Searches were conducted in Cochrane, CINAHL, PubMed, Springer, Google Scholar, and the Web of Science databases. RESULTS: The 1,949 articles were accessed in the total, and 20 articles have been included in the review. In the studies being evaluated, it can be determined that HPN has influenced the quality of life, performance status, and the nutrition level of cancer patients positively. Most frequently seen complications were infections relating to the catheter, the mechanical obstruction in the catheter and venous thrombosis. For each 1,000 days with HPN or a catheter, infections in the interval of 0.05 and 3.08, mechanical problems in the interval of 0.07 and 2.13, and thrombosis in the interval of 0.05 and 0.20 were determined. CONCLUSIONS: While HPN influenced quality of life, nutrition, and the personal performance of cancer patients positively, the rate of complications is at a level that can be managed at home.

Nutrition Options in Critical Care Unit Patients.

Critically ill patients have increased metabolic requirements and must rely on the administration of nutritional therapy to meet those demands. Yet, according to research almost half of all hospitalized patients are not fed, are underfed, or are malnourished while in the hospital. This article demonstrates the importance of early feedings in critical care unit, and the available options open to nurses supporting initiation and management of early feedings. Enteral nutrition has proven to be an important therapeutic strategy for improving the outcomes of critically ill patients and the critical care nurse plays an integral role in their success.

Short bowel syndrome: difficulties of management in rural areas.

INTRODUCTION: The causes of short bowel syndrome are multiple, but most often in sub-Saharan Africa they result from extensive surgical resection that leaves less than 200 cm. Intestinal failure appears rapidly with a major hydroelectrolytic deficiency and malabsorption. Management requires parenteral nutrition that can be life-long. OBSERVATION: A 53 year-old patient underwent surgery in 1986 for peptic ulcer disease and recovered successfully. He was admitted in July 2015 for acute bowel obstruction of more than 8 hours duration. Intraoperative exploration showed irreversible ischemia in the small bowel, related to tight adhesions. An extensive resection leaving 110 cm of bowel was carried out. Postoperatively, nutritional monitoring and oral supplementation were prescribed and associated with proton pump inhibitors and antidiarrhea drugs. Parenteral feeding was not available. The postoperative period was characterized by temporary stability followed by a significant weight loss, then by two hospitalizations for severe malnutrition and intercurrent infection. Death occurred 7 months after the operation. CONCLUSION: Parenteral nutrition is essential in short bowel syndrome. Availability, especially for a long-term use, is a major problem in our context, and alternatives are rare.

An unusual cause of ventilatory failure in motor neurone disease.

A patient previously diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND) and gastrostomy-fed was under surveillance for ventilatory decline via our respiratory centre. At a planned review she was found to be hypercapnic, which would usually prompt an offer of non-invasive ventilation for home use. However, she was alkalotic and not acidotic as we might expect. Her serum potassium was checked urgently and confirmed as low. It was established that the community team had prescribed a feeding regime with insufficient potassium. Correction of hypokalaemia resolved her ventilatory failure. This case demonstrates the importance of co-ordinated care in the management of patients with MND.

Nutritional Support in Esophagogastric Cancers.

Esophageal and gastric cancers are common malignancies, both in the United States and worldwide, that carry significant morbidity and mortality. Malnutrition is a common complication in patients with esophageal and gastric cancers and it portends a poor prognosis. For patients who undergo surgical therapy for these types of cancers, preoperative and postoperative nutritional optimization have been shown to improve outcomes. The support can be accomplished in different manners, including orally, enterally, or parentally. In patients who do not undergo surgery but receive chemotherapy and/or radiation, nutritional support is also an important aspect of the multidisciplinary care approach.

Clinical nutrition in the hepatogastroenterology curriculum.

Gastroenterology (GE) used to be considered a subspecialty of internal medicine. Today, GE is generally recognized as a wide-ranging specialty incorporating capacities, such as hepatology, oncology and interventional endoscopy, necessitating GE-expert differentiation. Although the European Board of Gastroenterology and Hepatology has defined specific expertise areas in Advanced endoscopy, hepatology, digestive oncology and clinical nutrition, training for the latter topic is lacking in the current hepatogastroenterology (HGE) curriculum. Given its relevance for HGE practice, and being at the core of gastrointestinal functioning, there is an obvious need for training in nutrition and related issues including the treatment of disease-related malnutrition and obesity and its associated metabolic derangements. This document aims to be a starting point for the integration of nutritional expertise in the HGE curriculum, allowing a central role in the management of malnutrition and obesity. We suggest minimum endpoints for nutritional knowledge and expertise in the standard curriculum and recommend a focus period of training in nutrition issues in order to produce well-trained HGE specialists. This article provides a road map for the organization of such a training program. We would highly welcome the World Gastroenterology Organisation, the European Board of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, the American Gastroenterology Association and other (inter)national Gastroenterology societies support the necessary certifications for this item in the HGE-curriculum.

Nutritional Management in Enterocutaneous Fistula. What is the evidence?

The management of Enterocutaneous fistula (ECF) is challenging. It remains associated with morbidity and mortality, despite advancements in medical and surgical therapies. Early nutritional support using parenteral, enteral or fystuloclysis routs is essential to reverse catabolism and replace nutrients, fluid and electrolyte losses. This study aims to review the current literature on the management of ECF. Fistulae classifications have an impact on the calories and protein requirements. Early nutritional support with parenteral, enteral nutrition or fistuloclysis played a significant role in the management outcome. Published literature on the nutritional management of ECF is mostly retrospective and lacks experimental design. Prospective studies do not investigate nutritional assessment or management experimentally. Individualising the nutritional management protocol was recommended due to the absence of management guidelines for ECF patients.

Early Post Operative Enteral Versus Parenteral Feeding after Esophageal Cancer Surgery.

INTRODUCTION: The incidence of malnutrition in hospitalized patients is reported to be high. In particular, patients with esophageal cancer are prone to malnutrition, due to preoperative digestive system dysfunctions and short-term non-oral feeding postoperatively. Selection of an appropriate method for feeding in the postoperative period is important in these patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this randomized clinical trial, 40 patients with esophageal cancer who had undergone esophagectomy between September 2008 and October 2009 were randomly assigned into either enteral feeding or parenteral feeding groups, with the same calorie intake in each group. The level of serum total protein, albumin, prealbumin, transferrin, C3, C4 and hs-C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), as well as the rate of surgical complications, restoration of bowel movements and cost was assessed in each group. RESULTS: Our results showed that there was no significant difference between the groups in terms of serum albumin, prealbumin or transferrin. However, C3 and C4 levels were significantly higher in the enteral feeding group compared with the parenteral group, while hs-CRP level was significantly lower in the enteral feeding group. Bowel movements were restored sooner and costs of treatment were lower in the enteral group. Postoperative complications did not differ significantly between the groups. There was one death in the parenteral group 10 days after surgery due to myocardial infarction. CONCLUSION: The results of our study showed that enteral feeding can be used effectively in the first days after surgery, with few early complications and similar nutritional outcomes compared with the parenteral method. Enteral feeding was associated with reduced inflammation and was associated with an improvement in immunological responses, quicker return of bowel movements, and reduced costs in comparison with parenteral feeding.

Nutritional Management in Enterocutaneous Fistula. What is the evidence?

The management of Enterocutaneous fistula (ECF) is challenging. It remains associated with morbidity and mortality, despite advancements in medical and surgical therapies. Early nutritional support using parenteral, enteral or fystuloclysis routs is essential to reverse catabolism and replace nutrients, fluid and electrolyte losses. This study aims to review the current literature on the management of ECF. Fistulae classifications have an impact on the calories and protein requirements. Early nutritional support with parenteral, enteral nutrition or fistuloclysis played a significant role in the management outcome. Published literature on the nutritional management of ECF is mostly retrospective and lacks experimental design. Prospective studies do not investigate nutritional assessment or management experimentally. Individualising the nutritional management protocol was recommended due to the absence of management guidelines for ECF patients.

Achieving glycemic control in special populations in hospital: perspectives in practice.

Achieving and maintaining glycemic control in patients with diabetes admitted to hospital is challenging because of the many competing factors of nutrition, pharmacotherapy and other patient-related and systemic factors. For patients receiving enteral or parenteral feeding, eating irregularly or receiving glucocorticoid therapy, the challenges are even greater. The basic principles to follow when managing glycemia in these populations are as follows: 1) Recognition of those at risk for hyperglycemia; 2) frequent bedside glucose monitoring; 3) a proactive approach with routine insulin administration based on the predicted glucose patterns; 4) constant reassessment of the glycemic status and titration of the routine insulin accordingly.

Use of Fish Oil-Based Lipid Emulsions in Infants With Intestinal Failure-Associated Liver Disease: A Case Series.

The use of fish oil-based lipid emulsions (FOLE) in the treatment of intestinal failure-associated liver disease (IFALD) remains investigational. Additional evidence for safety and efficacy, particularly in the neonatal and pediatric populations, is needed. Retrospective chart review was conducted on 10 infants with short bowel syndrome who received FOLE for IFALD. Direct bilirubin concentrations normalized in surviving subjects within 4.1 to 22.7 weeks of starting treatment. Although earlier initiation of FOLE was not associated with more rapid normalization of direct bilirubin concentrations, it trended toward a significant correlation with reduced length of hospital stay (P = .058). The reduction in direct bilirubin levels and transition from parenteral to enteral feeding were statistically significant within 6 weeks of initiating the FOLE. Subjects did not have impaired growth and did not develop an essential fatty acid deficiency. These infants were discharged from the hospital 7.9 to 42.3 weeks after starting FOLE treatment, and 2 infants had transitioned completely off parenteral nutrition at discharge. In this study, FOLE appeared to be a safe and effective treatment for IFALD in infants with short bowel syndrome. Future studies are necessary to determine whether FOLE can help to prevent or shorten the duration of cholestasis.

Aggressive Nutrition of the Preterm Infant.

Nutrition of preterm infants should result in growth similar to that of normally growing fetuses of the same gestational age. Unfortunately, most preterm infants are not fed enough to achieve this objective; as a result they are growth restricted by term gestation. Recent studies have demonstrated that early and enhanced "aggressive" nutrition of preterm infants can reduce postnatal growth failure and improve longer-term outcomes, particularly for the brain and its cognitive functions. When preterm infants are fed more aggressively (earlier onset of intravenous and enteral feeding, earlier achievement of full enteral feeding) cumulative energy and protein deficits are reduced and they consistently regain birth weight sooner, the incidence of necrotizing enterocolitis and late-onset sepsis is unchanged or reduced, and they achieve discharge criteria and go home sooner, with overall shorter hospital stays, and have improved anthropometrics by term gestation. More research is needed, however, to determine optimum feeding of preterm infants, particularly during periods of illness and physiological instability.

Crecimiento intrahospitalario de RN de muy bajo peso en el centro materno infantil: comparación con NEOCOSUR / In-hospital weight gain in very low birth weight newborns at the centro materno-infantil of Asuncion, Paraguay: comparison with the NEOCOSUR database

Objetivos: Determinar el crecimiento intrahospitalario y las prácticas alimentarias de los RNMBP en la Unidad de Neonatología de la Cátedra y Servicio de Pediatría del Hospital de Clínicas sede San Lorenzo. Metodología: Estudio observacional analítico retrospectivo. Fueron incluidos los RN nacidos en el hopistal, asistidos en la Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales (UCIN) con peso al nacer (PN) entre 500 y 1500 grs, de enero 2007 a diciembre 2009 seguidos desde su nacimiento hasta el alta; registrándose la evolución del peso y las prácticas alimentarias. Fueron considerados como grupo control los RNMBP de la red NEOCOSUR nacidos en el mismo periodo. Resultados: Nacieron 140 RNMBP, fueron incluidos 93 RN, la sobrevida al alta fue de 66,4%. El promedio de PN: 1187 ± 201 grs, a los 7días de vida 1091 ± 200 grs; con promedio de pérdida de 95,4 ± 5,6 grs que corresponde a 8% con relación PN; siendo la pérdida por día de 13,6 grs. A los 28 días de vida el promedio de peso fue de 1470 ± 271 grs; con variación de peso entre la semana de vida y los 28 días de 293 ± 79,4 grs, con ganancia de peso de 26,5%, correspondiendo a una ganancia estimada/día de 10,5 grs. Al alta el promedio de peso fue de 2140 ± 356 grs, con una variación de peso con relación al nacimiento de 930 ± 97 gramos, ganancia de peso de 85,3%, correspondiente a 14,5 grs de aumento/día. Recibieron NPT 69 RNMBP, los aminoácidos (AA) se iniciaron a los 2,7 ± 3,6 días y los lípidos a los 3,9 ± 3,4 días. En el NEOCOSUR, iniciaron AA a los 1,6 ± 1,8 días y lípidos a los 2 ± 1,8 días. Del total recibieron NPT 2346 RNMBP (89%). La alimentación enteral fue iniciada en la UCIN a los 4,1 ± 3,6 días y en el NEOCOSUR a los 3,2 ± 3 días. Se alcanzó el volumen de 100 ml/kg/día a los 14 ± 8 días en la UCIN, y en el NEOCOSUR a los 13,1 ± 8,4 días de vida...

Introduction: Assessing the growth and nutritional status of newborns (NB) is very important because of how strongly both factors are associated with overall health and development. Growth is associated with nutritional practices; with differences in calorie and protein intake varying according to when enteral and parenteral feeding of the VLBWI are begun. Objectives: To determine in-hospital weight gain and feeding practices for VLBWI in the Neonatal Unit of the Pediatrics Department of the Centro Materno-Infantil (CMI), of the School of Medical Sciences, National University of Asunción (UNA). Methodology: A retrospective, observational, and analytical study. Patients included were NB treated in the CMI Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) with birth weights between 500 and 1500 grams between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2009. Their development, weight, and food intake were recorded in follow up from birth until discharge to home. VLBW newborns in the NEOCOSUR database for the same period of time served as the control group. Results: Of the 140 VLBW newborns in that time period, 93 met inclusion criteria, and their rate of survival to discharge was 66.4%. Average birth weight was 1187 ± 201 grams, while on day 7 weight was 1091 ± 200 grams: an average loss of 95.4 ± 5.6 grams, corresponding to 8% of birth weight, and a daily rate of loss of 13.6 grams per day. At 28 days of age, average weight was 1470 ± 271 grams, with weight gain from day 7 to day 28 days of 293 ± 79.4 grams, a gain of 26.5%, corresponding to an estimated gain of 10.5 grams per day. At discharge, the average weight was 2140 ± 356 grams: a variation of weight relative to birthweight of 930 ± 97 grams (85.3%), corresponding to a gain of 14.5 grams per day. Among the 69 (74%) of VLBW newborn who received total parenteral nutrition (TPN), total days of hospitalization averaged 16 ± 9.4, while amino acid supplementation was begun at 2.7 ± 3.6 days and lipids at 3.9 ± 3.4 days...