BACKGROUND: An accurate and convenient method for characterizing fecal output and a consistent threshold for classifying diarrhea in patients receiving enteral nutrition are required. The aim of this study is to covertly assess the construct and concurrent validity of a chart for characterizing fecal output and classifying diarrhea in patients ...

The prevalence of overweight is rising in the pediatric population. The aims of this study were to determine prevalence and diagnostic characteristics of overweight patients referred for endocrine evaluation. BMI was calculated and diagnosis codes were assigned for patients seen for endocrine evaluation. Odds ratio calculation and logistic regression were ...

PURPOSE: Cancer cachexia is a common problem among advanced cancer patients. A mixture of beta-hydroxyl beta-methyl butyrate, glutamine, and arginine (HMB/Arg/Gln) previously showed activity for increasing lean body mass (LBM) among patients with cancer cachexia. Therefore a phase III trial was implemented to confirm this activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four ...

Long-term parenteral nutrition (PN) is administered to patients who are unable to use their gastrointestinal tract to absorb sufficient nutrients and water to maintain their nutritional status. Patients receiving long-term parenteral nutrition are at risk of numerous complications including thrombosis of the central venous catheter used to provide nutrition. Central ...

BACKGROUND: Hospital malnutrition (undernutrition) continues to attract concern. The implementation of standards for food and fluids in Scotland provided the stimulus for an audit of current practices in NHS Fife hospitals in order to provide baseline data with which to evaluate progress. METHODS: One hundred and fifty in-patients were recruited ...

Nutritional rickets has been on the rise in the United States. A chart review of patients with nutritional rickets from April 1995 to May 2005 was performed. Fifty-eight subjects were studied (62% males, 38% females, with an age range between 2 and 132 months). Of the subjects, 81% were African ...

<p>Lithium carbonate, a widely used treatment for bipolar disorders, is associated with goiter, hypothyroidism and thyrotoxicosis. However, the effect of lithium to increase radioactive iodine uptake has received little attention, thus, making Lithium a confounding factor in the interpretation of thyroid radionuclide studies. We herein report a case of mistaken ...

This paper challenges the view that food, or the patient's own body, functions as a transitional object for bulimics during the binge-purge cycle or symptomatic equivalents of self-harm. The author proposes that the bulimic patient's actions in and on her body more closely approximate the use of a fetish, which ...

Acute kidney injury (AKI) develops mostly in the context of critical illness and multiple organ failure, characterized by alterations in substrate use, insulin resistance, and hypercatabolism. Optimal nutritional support of intensive care unit patients remains a matter of debate, mainly because of a lack of adequately designed clinical trials. Most ...

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to elucidate the effectiveness of lithium carbonate prior to thyroidectomy or radioiodide therapy in patients with thyrotoxicosis. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Lithium carbonate was used as preoperative preparation or radioiodide therapy in 5 patients with Graves' disease and in 1 patient with toxic multinodular ...

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is a predictor of cardiovascular disease in dialysis patients, but the mechanisms remain unknown. We investigated links between nutritional markers and arterial stiffness in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients. METHODS: We evaluated the relationship between arterial stiffness evaluated by pulse-wave velocity (PWV) and four estimates of nutritional status ...

In the majority (80%) of patients with acute pancreatitis, the disease is self limiting and, after a few days of withholding feeding and intravenous administration of fluids, patients can again be normally fed orally. In a small percentage of patients, the disease progresses to severe necrotic pancreatitis, with an intense ...

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Although hepatocellular injuries are occasionally observed in patients with an eating disorder, such as anorexia nervosa (AN), it remains unclear how malnutrition in patients with AN causes hepatocellular damage. In this retrospective study, we aimed to reveal the characteristics of hepatocellular injuries in patients with an eating disorder without ...

Hypertriglyceridemia is a common complication in patients receiving parenteral nutrition (PN). Management typically involves withholding the IV fat emulsion (IVFE) until serum triglyceride levels normalize. In some instances, this practice may predispose patients to the development of essential fatty acid deficiency (EFAD) unless alternative therapies such as oral or topical ...

OBJECTIVE: We discuss 26 y of home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in an otherwise healthy patient with severe short bowel syndrome demonstrating a decrease in life-threatening complications after various management changes. METHODS: The patient is a 41-y-old male with a midgut volvulus from malrotation who developed short bowel syndrome and has ...

OBJECTIVES: Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) on long-term maintenance treatment represent a clinical population with peculiar characteristics, for which available equations to estimate resting energy expenditure (REE) are not suitable. The aim of this study was to measure REE by means of indirect calorimetry in bipolar patients on maintenance treatment ...

OBJECTIVE: To detect and compare the degree of malnutrition as well as the anthropometric and biochemical abnormalities among male and female patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out at hemodialysis units in 7 Jordanian hospitals, between 2004 - 2005. Two hundred and seventeen ESRD ...

To evaluate eating behavior and energy balance as a cause of increased body mass index (BMI) in narcolepsy. Case controlled pilot study. University hospital. 13 patients with narcolepsy (7 "typical" patients, with HLA DQB1*0602 and clear cut cataplexy, with suspected hypocretin deficiency; and 6 "atypical" narcoleptics, i.e., HLA negative or ...

PURPOSE: Panproctocolectomy and ileal pouch-anal anastomosis is the operation of choice for patients with ulcerative colitis and familial polyposis. The long-term nutritional consequences after pouch surgery are unknown. We have assessed the nutritional status of the essential trace elements-zinc, copper, manganese, and selenium-in patients several years (median, 10 (range, 2-15) ...

Evaluation of protein intake of patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) would facilitate optimal nutritional support. However, it has never been done on the basis of urinary urea nitrogen (UUN). The aim of this study, therefore, is to determine the usefulness of the estimated protein intake (EPI) based on UUN in ...

PURPOSE: We constructed a study to determine the association of anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters and bone mineral content with nutritional status in infants with neonatal cholestasis. METHODS: The study included 38 children with neonatal cholestasis. Nutritional status was assessed by Waterlow criteria, and anthropometric measurements, biochemical parameters and bone mineral ...

The concept of permissive underfeeding is based on the rationale that higher nutrient intake is detrimental from a metabolic and functional perspective. Animal studies have demonstrated improved morbidity and mortality with energy restriction. Studies with obese patients have demonstrated that a hypocaloric feeding regimen can promote nitrogen equilibrium and minimize ...

Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) is highly prevalent among peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients and is a strong predictor of morbidity and mortality. A wide range of factors can lead to PEM and associated wasting (PEM/W) in PD patients, but persistent inflammation and the presence of diabetes have been identified as the two ...

The aim of the present study was to assess the precision and bias of a priori methods in the estimation of lithium dosage requirement among bipolar patients. The charts of 82 Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder-fourth edition bipolar patients with previous history of lithium intoxication were reviewed. After ...

OBJECTIVE: Few data are available concerning the utility of augmentation in late-life depression treatment. The authors examined likelihood, speed, and predictors of recovery in older adults receiving augmentation pharmacotherapy after inadequate response to standardized treatment with paroxetine plus interpersonal psychotherapy. METHOD: Depression levels were monitored during open treatment in 195 ...

OBJECTIVE: To establish whether a diet based on the usage of low-protein products for renal patients (LPP) is associated with higher energy expenditure (EE) than a free low-protein diet (NO-LPP) by calculating 24 h EE by indirect calorimetry using an electronic armband monitor. DESIGN: Randomized, cross-over, single-blind, pilot clinical trial ...

BACKGROUND: Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that can cause local irritation and discomfort with attendant poor dentition and nutrition. Although a range of therapeutic options is available, data on the long-term efficacy of treatments for this chronic disease are limited. To identify agents that might be ...

Bipolar disorder is associated with increased risk for dementia. We compared the prevalence of Alzheimer's disease between 66 elderly euthymic patients with bipolar disorder who were on chronic lithium therapy and 48 similar patients without recent lithium therapy. The prevalence of dementia in the whole sample was 19% v. 7% ...

Accurate measurements of whole-body activity retention of patients during radionuclide therapy are essential for two reasons: First, they enable the correct radiation protection advice to be given and second, they permit the accurate determination of the absorbed whole-body dose delivered during therapy. This, in turn, allows treatment planning to be ...

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Undernutrition in hospitalised patients is likely to be contributed to by the dual action of the underlying disease and acute catabolism associated with it. The aim of this study was to measure the association between underlying disease and nutritional status in acutely ill older patients. METHODS: Four ...

BACKGROUND: To determine thyroid gland volume and the prevalence of goiter in patients receiving long-term lithium treatment for affective disorders. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we performed ultrasonographic examinations in 96 patients on long-term lithium treatment, including those with bipolar, major depressive, and schizoaffective disease. Patients with documented continuous and ...

BACKGROUND: Following excess weight loss in many patients, a dermolipectomy of the abdomen, arms and thighs becomes necessary. This kind of operation was offered to 88 former morbidly obese patients after having lost between 50% and 75% of their excess weight. METHODS AND RESULTS: Abdomen: Because of a distinct pannus, ...

OBJECTIVE: Malnutrition is common in patients with chronic renal failure and should be screened for systematically. Subjective global assessment (SGA) is frequently used, but it is time-consuming. The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity of SGA as a screening tool for malnutrition compared with the measurement of ...

Both parenteral nutrition (PN) and enteral nutrition (EN) are widely advocated as adjunctive care in patients with various diseases. A systematic review of 82 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of PN published in 2001 found little, if any, effect on mortality, morbidity, or duration of hospital stay; in some situations, PN ...

Patients with head and neck cancer are at high risk for malnutrition due to dysphagia from the tumor and treatment. Despite difficulty with oral intake, these patients usually have a normal stomach and lower gastrointestinal tract. Enteral nutrition support via percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) administered in the home by the ...

Treatment of short bowel syndrome (SBS) is often a difficult endeavor due to the high variability among patients with SBS in regard to remaining anatomical structure and functional capacity. Research efforts to substantiate the use of existing therapies in the treatment of SBS are ongoing, with newer developments yet to ...

Nutrient deficiencies are common in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Both total parenteral and enteral nutrition provide important supportive therapy for IBD patients, but in adults these are not useful for primary therapy. Dietary intervention with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids contained in fish oil may be useful for the ...

BACKGROUND: The negative health consequences of malnutrition in the pediatric oncology patient are well known. The purpose of this study was to determine the usefulness of body mass index (BMI) for age as a tool to prospectively identify pediatric cancer patients at risk for malnutrition and to determine the BMI ...

The aim of the work was laboratory assessment of energy and nutritional value of general and light diets used in patients of selected clinical department in the Military Medical Institute in Warsaw alimentation. Using questionnaire method the assessment of diets was done by patients too. Meals given to patients in ...

INTRODUCTION: Liver dysfunction associated with artificial nutrition in critically ill patients is a complication that seems to be frequent, but it has not been assessed previously in a large cohort of critically ill patients. METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of incidence in 40 intensive care units. Different liver ...

GOALS: To describe the epidemiology and microbiologic characteristics of bloodstream infections (BSIs) in patients receiving long-term total parenteral nutrition (TPN). BACKGROUND: Home TPN therapy has been reported as a risk factor for BSI. However, little knowledge exists regarding the epidemiology of BSIs in this patient group. STUDY: A descriptive, observational ...

Lithium has been used for the last five decades to treat bipolar disorder, but the molecular basis of its therapeutic effect is unknown. Phosphoglucomutase is a key enzyme in the metabolism of glycogen. In yeast, rabbit and human HEK293 cells, it is inhibited by lithium in the therapeutic concentration range. ...

BACKGROUND: Thiamine deficiency in humans affects the cardiovascular, muscular, nervous, and gastrointestinal systems. Wernicke's encephalopathy is described in alcoholism, in hyperemesis gravidarum, and in prolonged IV feeding without vitamin supplementation. METHODS: We report a case of a 66-year-old man undergoing surgery for acute necrotic-hemorrhagic pancreatitis, who presented a Wernicke's syndrome ...

The aim of the study was to evaluate daily dietary intake of energy and protein by predialysis patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) receiving a supplement containing essential amino acid ketoanalogues. The study was carried out on 60 patients with CRF of different etiology. Low intake of energy (88% of ...

The total daily energy expenditure in patients with infectious disease is presumed to be high because of an increase in the basal metabolic rate (BMR), a reason for the weight loss observed in these patients. A reduction in daily physical activity, which may reduce the total daily energy expenditure. The ...

Enteral nutrition is increasingly becoming the standard of care for critically ill patients with the goal of providing nutritional support that prevents nutritional deficiencies and reduces morbidity. Furthermore, the development of nutritional strategies that dampen inflammation is an encouraging advance in the management of patients who have acute respiratory distress ...

Many factors contribute to the alarmingly high rates of misdiagnosis in the Vegetative State (VS) patient. These include the differential diagnosis and definitions, inconsistencies in the assessors' knowledge, expertise and their approaches to the assessment of awareness. Variability in the patient's medical and physical management adds to this confusion, leading ...

Dopaminergic abnormalities have been described in anorexia nervosa but studies about plasma level of homovanillic acid (pHVA) have yielded conflicting results probably due to the small number and the heterogeneity of patients. Plasma HVA, nutritional and hormonal parameters and several scales - the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT), the Beck Depression ...

OBJECTIVES: (1)To assess the nutritional status of chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) and dialysis patients using the subjective global assessment (SGA) method. (2) To validate SGA in assessing the nutritional status of this group of patients. PARTICIPANTS: The nutritional status of 81 patients was evaluated using dietary recall, anthropometry, biochemical parameters ...

BACKGROUND: Lithium is transferred into the intracellular space mainly via sodium-lithium counter transport pathway. This pathway is under genetic control and acts variably in different ethnic groups. With respect to possible genetic differences in our target population compared to other populations, this study was designed to obtain knowledge on mean ...