Alimentación saludable basada en la evidencia / Evidence-based healthy diets

La alimentación es saludable cuando favorece el buen estado de salud y disminuye el riesgo de enfermedades crónicas relacionadas con ella. La investigación epidemiológica ha demostrado una estrecha relación entre la alimentación y el riesgo para desarrollar estas enfermedades crónicas caracterizadas por una elevada morbimortalidad, por lo que es necesario establecer normas de referencia que sirvan de guía para garantizar un estado nutricional adecuado. El modelo de alimentación mediterráneo es una tradición centenaria que contribuye a un excelente estado nutricional, proporciona una sensación placentera y forma parte de la cultura mundial. Se revisan algunos de los estudios más sólidos y recientes que sugieren esta relación tan estrecha entre estilo de vida no saludable y riesgo de enfermedad (AU)

A diet is healthy when it encourages good health and reduces the risk of diet-related chronic diseases. Epidemiological research has demonstrated a close relationship between diet and the risk of developing these chronic diseases, which are characterized by high morbidity and mortality. Consequently reference intakes that would serve as a guide to guarantee a healthy nutritional status should be established. The Mediterranean diet is a tradition that goes back for more than a hundred years and which contributes to excellent nutritional status; this diet is highly palatable and forms part of global culture. Some of the most rigorous and recent studies on the relationship between unhealthy lifestyle and the risk of disease are reviewed (AU)

[Prevalence of malnutrition among candidates for lung transplantation]. / Prevalencia de desnutrición en enfermos candidatos a trasplante pulmonar.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse the prevalence of malnutrition in candidates for lung transplantation and to establish if there are any differences in the prevalence of malnutrition among the different groups of patients regarding their illness. METHODS: We reviewed the nutritional evaluation of 163 consecutive transplant candidates referred to our hospital (1996-2001). The nutritional assessment included: clinical history, anthropometric measurements, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and biochemical measurements. The nutritional status diagnosis was determined following RWS Chang protocol. RESULTS: 163 patients (108 male/55 female; 42.9 +/- 14.7 yr.) agrupped into four main lung diseases groups: obstructive (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease): 60 (36.8%); interstitial (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis): 45 (27.6%); septic (cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis): 47 (28.8%); and vascular (primary pulmonary hypertension and miscellaneous etiology): 11 (6.7%). The prevalence of malnutrition is 60.9% (IC 95%; 53.4-68.4) and the most prevalent type is moderate caloric malnutrition (23.3%). Percentage of triceps skinfold thickness was lower in the septic group (65.1 +/- 43.0) than in the obstructive (94.8 +/- 53.9; p < 0.05) or in the interstitial one (130.3 +/- 61.5; p < 0.0001). Interstitial group had also the higher weight, BMI and percentage of ideal weight. Percentage of arm muscle circumference was only different between interstitial and septic groups (105.5 +/- 18.3 vs 95.9 +/- 11.1; p < 0.01). Resting energy expenditure was lower in septic patients. This group had lower levels of prealbumin than obstructive (17.6 +/- 4.7 vs 24.4 +/- 4.8 mg/dl; p < 0.0001) or interstitial groups (17.6 +/- 4.7 vs 27.3 +/- 7.7 mg/dl; p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition in patients awaiting lung transplantation is highly prevalent, specially in septic and vascular lung diseases. Anthropometric measurements are a good and easy option to explore this problem. Nutritional rehabilitation of these patients could improve their postoperative course.

Prevalencia de desnutrición en enfermos candidatos a trasplante pulmonar / Prevalence of malnutrition in lung transplantation candidates

Objetivos: Determinar la prevalencia de desnutrición en candidatos a trasplante pulmonar y establecer los grupos de patología pulmonar con mayor frecuencia de desnutrición. Metodología: Estudio de la evaluación nutricional de 163 candidatos a trasplante pulmonar remitidos a nuestro hospital entre 1996-2001. La evaluación incluyó: historia clínica, antropometría, impedanciometría y medidas bioquímicas. El diagnóstico nutricional se estableció según RWS Chang. Resultados: 163 enfermos (108 hombre/55 mujeres; 42,9+/- 14,7 años) clasificados según los siguientes grupos de enfermedad pulmonar: obstructivo (enfermedad pulmonar obstructiva crónica): 60 (36,8 por ciento); intersticial (fibrosis pulmonar idiopática): 45 (27,6 por ciento); séptico (fibrosis quística y bronquiectasias): 47 (28,8 por ciento) y vascular (hipertensión pulmonar primaria y miscelánea): 11 (6,7 por ciento). La prevalencia de desnutrición es del 60,9 por ciento (IC 95 por ciento: 53,4-68,4) siendo la más frecuente la calórica moderada (23,3 por ciento). El porcentaje de pliegue triccipital es menor en el grupo séptico ( 65,1+/- 43,0) que en el obstructivo ( 94,8 +/- 53,9; p<0,05) o en el intersticial (130,3+/- 61,5; p<0,0001). El grupo intersticial tiene mayores peso, IMC y porcentaje de peso ideal. El porcentaje de circunferencia muscular del brazo sólo resultó diferente entre los grupos intersticial y séptico (105,5 +/- 18,3 frente a 95,9 +/- 11,1; p<0,01). El gasto energético basal es menor en los enfermos sépticos. Este grupo tiene niveles de prealbúmina menores que el obstructivo (17,6 +/- 4,7 frente a 24,4 +/- 4,8 mg/dl; p<0,0001) o el intersticial (17,6 +/- 4,7 frente a 27,3 +/- 7,7 mg/dl; p<0,0001). Conclusiones: La desnutrición en candidatos a trasplante pulmonar es altamente prevalente, especialmente en enfermedades sépticas o vasculares. Las antropometría es una técnica adecuada para detectar precozmente este problema. La mejoría del estado nutricional de estos enfermos puede favorecer su evolución postrasplante (AU)

Objectives: To analyse the prevalence of malnutrition in candidates for lung transplantation and to establish if there are any differences in the prevalence of malnutrition among the different groups of patients regarding their illness. Methods: We reviewed the nutritional evaluation of 163 consecutive transplant candidates referred to our hospital (1996-2001). The nutritional assessment included: clinical history, anthropometric measurements, bioelectrical impedance analysis, and biochemical measurements. The nutritional status diagnosis was determined following RWS Chang protocol. Results: 163 patients (108 male/55 female; 42,9 ± 14,7 yr.) agrupped into four main lung diseases groups: obstructive (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease): 60 (36,8%); interstitial (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis): 45 (27,6%); septic (cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis): 47 (28,8%); and vascular (primary pulmonary hypertension and miscellaneous etiology): 11 (6,7%). The prevalence of malnutrition is 60,9% (IC 95%; 53,4-68,4) and the most prevalent type is moderate caloric malnutrition (23,3%). Percentaje of triceps skinfold trickness was lower in the septic group (65,1 ± 43,0) than in the obstructive (94,8 ± 53,9; p < 0,05) or in the interstitial one (130,3 ± 61,5; p < 0,0001). Interstitial group had also the higher weight, BMI and percentaje of ideal weight. Percentaje of arm muscle circumference was only different between interstitial and septic groups (105,5 ± 18,3 vs 95,9 ± 11,1; p < 0,01). Resting energy expenditure was lower in septic patients. This group had lower levels of prealbumin than obstructive (17,6 ± 4,7 vs 24,4 ± 4,8 mg/dl; p < 0,0001) or interstitial groups (17,6 ± 4,7 vs 27,3 ± 7,7 mg/dl; p < 0,0001). Conclusions: Malnutrition in patients awaiting lung transplantation is highly prevalent, specially in septic and vascular lung diseases. Anthropometric measurements are a good and easy option to explore this problem. Nutritional rehabilitation of these patients could improve their postoperative course (AU)

[Reversible hypertransaminasemia after diet therapy]. / Hipertransaminasemia reversible tras tratamiento dietético.

An increase in transaminases may be due to multiple causes. We present a case of reversible hypertransaminasemia following specific dietary therapy. The various potential aetiopathogenies are reviewed to explain the raising of transaminase levels and the improvement in analytical results after the institution of this dietary treatment.