Nursing intervention bundle for enteral nutrition in intensive care: a collective construction

Objective The collective construction of a nursing intervention bundle for patients in critical care in the hospital receiving enteral nutrition therapy, supported by evidence-based practice. Method A qualitative convergent-care study with 24 nursing professionals in an intensive care unit of a public hospital in Santa Catarina. Data collection was performed from May to August 2013, with semi-structured interviews and discussion groups. Results Four interventions emerged that constituted the bundle: bedside pH monitoring to confirm the position of the tube; stabilization of the tube; enteric position of the tube; and maintaining the head of the bed elevated at 30° to 45°.
 Conclusion The interventions chosen neither required additional professional workload nor extra charges to the institution, which are identified as improving the adoption of the bundle by nursing professionals at the ICU.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors A link between endocrinology and nutrition?

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are members of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily like the steroid, thyroid, or retinoid hormone receptors, which are ligand-activated transcription factors regulating gene expression. PPARs mediate the induction of the enzymes of the peroxisomal and microsomal fatty-acid oxidation pathways by hypolipidemic drugs such as clofibrate and are probably also involved in the gene expression of other lipid-metabolism-associated proteins that are controlled by fibrate hypolipidemic drugs. That PPARs play an important role in the regulation of lipid metabolism is reinforced by the discovery of their activation by physiologic concentrations of fatty acids. This observation raises the question of whether fatty acids are ligands of PPARs, which would imply that nutritional fatty acids can act like hormones.

Nutrition Services Fact Sheet (SFY 2006)

Nutrition services provide meals in community settings and to homebound individuals, and provide nutrition education and counseling.

Différences régionales de l'incidence des fractures de la hanche dues à l'ostéoporose chez les femmes âgées : influence de la condition physique et de la nutrition

Résumé L'ostéoporose est une maladie systémique du squelette caractérisée par une fragilité osseuse augmentée avec pour conséquence une augmentation de la susceptibilité aux fractures. C'est actuellement un important problème de santé publique avec des conséquences majeures pour les systèmes de soins tant d'un point de vue médical que financier. Les projections mondiales prévoient une augmentation significative du nombre de fractures de la hanche d'ici 2050. Cette étude vise à analyser l'influence des apports nutritionnels par rapport à celle de la condition physique sur le risque de fracture ostéoporotique en reprenant les données évaluant la consommation de produits laitiers au sein du collectif de l'étude SEMOF («Evaluation suisse de méthodes de mesure du risque de fracture ostéoporotique»). Nous avons d'abord montré que les apports moyens en calcium des 7788 femmes âgées de 70 ans et plus ayant participé à l'étude sont inférieurs aux recommandations suisses et internationales. Des trois régions étudiées, la Suisse romande est celle où les apports quotidiens moyens en calcium et en protéines provenant des produits laitiers sont les plus faibles et où l'incidence des fractures de la hanche secondaires à l'ostéoporose est la plus élevée. Les apports en calcium et en protéines sont également plus élevés à la campagne par rapport à la ville alors que l'incidence des fractures de la hanche n'est pas significativement différente entre ville et campagne. De plus, nous avons montré que les apports quotidiens moyens en calcium et en protéines provenant des produits laitiers ne diffèrent pas significativement entre les femmes avec ou sans fracture de la hanche pendant le suivi. En revanche, la condition physique des femmes qui ont présenté une fracture de la hanche est significativement moins bonne. Sur la base de données anamnestiques concernant les facteurs de risque de chute et la mobilité, nous avons développé un score permettant d'identifier les femmes les plus à risque de chute. La condition physique de ces femmes, attestée par le test de la chaise et la mesure de la force de préhension est la moins bonne. Toutefois, leurs apports quotidiens moyens en calcium et en protéines provenant des produits laitiers ne diffèrent pas significativement par rapport aux femmes à faible risque de chute. En conclusion, le risque de fracture de la hanche liée à l'ostéoporose est plus élevé chez les femmes de plus de 70 ans vivant en Suisse romande que dans les deux autres régions linguistiques. Il est déterminé avant tout par le risque de chute et par la condition physique. Les apports en calcium et en protéines provenant des produits laitiers, tels que nous les avons évalués ne semblent pas déterminants.

A festschrift for Roland L. Weinsier: nutrition scientist, educator, and clinician.

Roland L. Weinsier, M.D., Dr.P.H., devoted himself to the fields of nutrition and obesity for more than 35 years. He contributed outstanding work related to the treatment of obesity through dietary and lifestyle change; metabolic/energetic influences on obesity, weight loss, and weight regain; body composition changes accompanying weight loss and regain; the health benefits and risks of weight loss; nutrition education for physicians; and nutrition support of sick patients. He served on the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) National Task Force on Prevention and Treatment of Obesity, as Chair of the University of Alabama at Birmingham's Department of Nutrition Sciences, and as Founder and Director of its NIDDK-funded Clinical Nutrition Research Center. He was a long-time and active member of NAASO, serving in the roles of Councilor, Publications Committee Chair, Continuing Medical Education Course Director, Public Relations Committee Chair, and Membership Committee Co-Chair, to name just a few. He was well respected as a staunch defender of NAASO's scientific integrity in these roles. Sadly, Roland Weinsier died on November 27, 2002. He will be missed and remembered by many as a revered and beloved teacher, mentor, healer, and scholar.

Hochkalorische Ernährung bei chronischer obstruktiver Lungenkrankheit [High-caloric nutrition in chronic obstructive lung disease]

A body weight lower than 90% of the optional value has an unfavorable influence on the prognosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Short term studies of up to three months duration have shown improved function of respiratory muscle exercise tolerance and immunologic parameters by an increased caloric intake of 45 kcal/kg body weight. In a randomized trial of twelve months 14 of 30 patients with an average FEV1 of 0.8 l were instructed to take a high calorie diet. For simplicity a part of the calories were administered as Fresubin, a fluid nutrient formula. Although a weight gain of 7 kg (p = 0.003) was obtained the difference to the control group was statistically not significant (p = 0.08). The same was true for skin fold thickness (12.4 vs 5.7 mm), change of ventilatory parameters and the 6 minute walking distance (-33 vs -86 m). Subjective improvement was, however, impressive in all patients with dietary intervention, explainable probably by increased attention. Dietary counselling for increased intake of calories, vitamins and also calcium is thus very important in the treatment of patients with COPD.

Influence of nutrition on urinary oxalate and calcium in preterm and term infants.

Few data for normal urinary oxalate (Ox) and calcium (Ca) excretion related both to gestational age and nutritional factors have been reported in preterm or term infants. We therefore determined the molar Ox and Ca to creatinine (Cr) ratios in spot urines from 64 preterm and 37 term infants aged 1-60 days, either fed formula or human milk (HM). Only vitamin D was supplemented; renal or metabolic diseases were excluded. Urinary Ox/Cr ratio was higher in preterm than in term infants, both when formula fed (1st month 253 vs. 180 mmol/mol and 2nd month 306 vs. 212 mmol/mol; P<0.05) or HM fed (206 vs. 169 mmol/ mol and 283* vs. 232 mmol/mol; *P<0.05). Ox/Cr was also higher in formula- than HM-fed preterm infants. The ratio increased during the first 2 months of life irrespective of nutrition. Urinary Ca/Cr ratio was comparable in all groups during the 1st month of life, except for a lower (P < 0.05) value in term infants fed HM (0.10 mol/mol). It increased in all groups during the 2nd month of life, being highest in HM-fed preterm infants (1.86 mol/mol). In conclusion, urinary Ox and Ca excretion is influenced by both gestational age and nutrient intake in preterm and term infants.

Mucosal but not parenteral immunization with purified human papillomavirus type 16 virus-like particles induces neutralizing titers of antibodies throughout the estrous cycle of mice.

We have recently shown that nasal immunization of anesthetized mice with human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV16) virus-like particles (VLPs) is highly effective at inducing both neutralizing immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG in genital secretions, while parenteral immunization induced only neutralizing IgG. Our data also demonstrated that both isotypes are similarly neutralizing according to an in vitro pseudotyped neutralization assay. However, it is known that various amounts of IgA and IgG are produced in genital secretions along the estrous cycle. Therefore, we have investigated how this variation influences the amount of HPV16 neutralizing antibodies induced after immunization with VLPs. We have compared parenteral and nasal protocols of vaccination with daily samplings of genital secretions of mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay analysis showed that total IgA and IgG inversely varied along the estrous cycle, with the largest amounts of IgA in proestrus-estrus and the largest amount of IgG in diestrus. This resulted in HPV16 neutralizing titers of IgG only being achieved during diestrus upon parenteral immunization. In contrast, nasal vaccination induced neutralizing titers of IgA plus IgG throughout the estrous cycle, as confirmed by in vitro pseudotyped neutralization assays. Our data suggest that mucosal immunization might be more efficient than parenteral immunization at inducing continuous protection of the female genital tract.