LATEST ADVANCES IN NUTRITION: ASPEN 2023 and 2024 NEWS AND PUBLICATIONS

Effect of home enteral nutrition on oral intake in pediatric patients

Traditionally, the hypothesis has prevailed that enteral nutrition might impair the ability of pediatric patients to engage in oral intake, particularly in scenarios where natural feeding is inadequate or impractical due to suboptimal nutritional states. Contrary to this assumption, the outcomes of a 2024 research reveal that while enteral nutrition is effective in increasing total energy intake, it does not negatively impact oral consumption throughout the initial year of application. Intriguingly, this study highlights that the effect on oral intake may be solely influenced by how enteral nutrition is administrated, emphasizing the necessity to assess and refine delivery techniques within the nutritional management of children.

Standard tools for malnutrition screening may not effectively identify malnutrition in hospitalized elderly patients

A recent cross-sectional observational study published in the journal Nutrients, evaluates the effectiveness of five screening tools —SNAQ, MUST, MST, MNA-SF, and PG-SGA-SF— in identifying malnutrition states in hospitalized geriatric patients, using the criteria set by the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) as a benchmark for comparison. The findings reveal that these tools exhibit insufficient sensitivity for malnutrition detection according to GLIM standards. The study suggests that the adoption of electronic medical records could enhance the screening process by improving the assessment based on GLIM’s specific criteria.

Review indicates additional research required on nutritional deficiencies in hospital settings

A systematic review recently featured in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, aimed to investigate the incidence of hospital-acquired malnutrition (HAM), the diagnostic criteria employed, and the associated health-related outcomes. This study highlights the frequency at which malnutrition develops during hospital stays, outlines the criteria used for its diagnosis, and examines the impact of malnutrition on patient health, notably linking deteriorated nutritional status to prolonged hospital stays and a higher six-month readmission rate. The authors emphasize the necessity for a consensus on the diagnostic criteria for HAM and advocate for further research to fully understand the implications of HAM on patient health outcomes.