Prediction model establishment and validation for enteral nutrition aspiration during hospitalization in patients with acute pancreatitis

BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis(AP)is a disease caused by abnormal activation of pancreatic enzymes and can lead to self-digestion of pancreatic tissues and dysfunction of other organs.Enteral nutrition plays a vital role in the treatment of AP because it can meet the nutritional needs of patients,promote the recovery of intestinal function,and maintain the barrier and immune functions of the intestine.However,the risk of aspiration during enteral nutrition is high;once aspiration occurs,it may cause serious complications,such as aspiration pneumonia,and suffocation,posing a threat to the patient’s life.This study aims to establish and validate a prediction model for enteral nutrition aspiration during hospitalization in patients with AP.AIM To establish and validate a predictive model for enteral nutrition aspiration during hospitalization in patients with AP.METHODS A retrospective review was conducted on 200 patients with AP admitted to Chengdu Shangjin Nanfu Hospital,West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 2020 to February 2024.Clinical data were collected from the electronic medical record system.Patients were randomly divided into a validation group(n=40)and a modeling group(n=160)in a 1:4 ratio,matched with 200 patients from the same time period.The modeling group was further categorized into an aspiration group(n=25)and a non-aspiration group(n=175)based on the occurrence of enteral nutrition aspiration during hospitalization.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify factors influencing enteral nutrition aspiration in patients with AP during hospitalization.A prediction model for enteral nutrition aspiration during hospitalization was constructed,and calibration curves were used for validation.Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was conducted to evaluate the predictive value of the model.RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference in general data between the validation and modeling groups(P>0.05).The comparison of age,gender,body mass index,smoking history,hypertension history,and diabetes history showed no statistically significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05).However,patient position,consciousness status,nutritional risk,Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation(APACHE-II)score,and length of nasogastric tube placement showed statistically significant differences(P<0.05)between the two groups.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that patient position,consciousness status,nutritional risk,APACHE-II score,and length of nasogastric tube placement were independent factors influencing enteral nutrition aspiration in patients with AP during hospitalization(P<0.05).These factors were incorporated into the prediction model,which showed good consistency between the predicted and actual risks,as indicated by calibration curves with slopes close to 1 in the training and validation sets.Receiver operating characteristic analysis revealed an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.926(95%CI:0.8889-0.9675)in the training set.The optimal cutoff value is 0.73,with a sensitivity of 88.4 and specificity of 85.2.In the validation set,the AUC of the model for predicting enteral nutrition aspiration in patients with AP patients during hospitalization was 0.902,with a standard error of 0.040(95%CI:0.8284-0.9858),and the best cutoff value was 0.73,with a sensitivity of 91.9 and specificity of 81.8.CONCLUSION A prediction model for enteral nutrition aspiration during hospitalization in patients with AP was established and demonstrated high predictive value.Further clinical application of the model is warranted.

Clinical Evaluation of Enteral Nutrition+Probiotics in the Treatment of Gastrointestinal Dysfunction After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Objective:To evaluate the therapeutic effect of enteral nutrition+probiotics in patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction after severe craniocerebral injury.Methods:From September 2018 to February 2023,80 patients(20-82 years old)with gastrointestinal dysfunction who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit at the Third People’s Hospital of Xining were included in the study.Their primary condition was severe craniocerebral injury,and all of them received conventional symptomatic treatment.Group A received enteral nutrition+probiotic therapy,whereas group B received enteral nutrition only.The differences in the following indicators were compared before and after treatment:nutritional and biochemical indicators,gastrointestinal function indicators,Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS),Sequential Organ Failure Assessment(SOFA),APACHE II score,serum procalcitonin(PCT),neutrophil(N)ratio,and C reactive protein(CRP).Result:The nutritional and biochemical indicators in group A were higher than those in group B,P<0.05;the time to first passage of flatus,time to first passage of stool,and bowel sound recovery time in group A were shorter than those in group B,P<0.05;the GCS of group A was higher than that of group B,P<0.05;the SOFA and APACHEⅡscores of group A were not different from those of group B,P>0.05;and the PCT,N ratio,and CRP levels of group A were lower than those of group B,P<0.05.Conclusion:In patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction after severe craniocerebral injury,enteral nutrition+probiotic therapy is highly effective and feasible,as it can optimize various nutritional indicators,shorten the gastrointestinal function recovery time,and reduce the body’s stress response.

Effect of Early Enteral Nutrition Combined with Probiotics on the Nutritional Status of Patients with Severe Craniocerebral Injury

Objective:To observe the effect of early enteral nutrition combined with probiotics on the nutritional status of patients with severe craniocerebral injury.Methods:Thirty-five patients with severe craniocerebral injury were divided into the study group(17 patients)and the control group(18 patients)according to the method of a randomized numerical table;both groups of patients started enteral nutrition via nasogastric tube within 24–48 hours after admission to the hospital,and probiotics were given in addition to the study group.Hemoglobin,total plasma protein,albumin,prealbumin,cholinesterase,fasting blood glucose,and other indexes were monitored before and early morning after enteral nutrition support,and upper arm circumference(AC),triceps skinfold thickness(TSF),and upper arm muscle circumference(AMC)were measured,and gastrointestinal response and time to first defecation of the patients were observed and compared with GCS score.Results:The hemoglobin,serum albumin,prealbumin,cholinesterase,and total plasma protein levels in the study group were significantly higher and fasting blood glucose levels were significantly lower than those in the control group after treatment(P<0.05).The incidence of reflux and constipation in the study group was lower than that in the control group,and the time to first defecation was shorter than that in the control group(P<0.05).After treatment,AC,TSF,and AMC were higher in the study group than in the control group(P<0.05).GCS scores were significantly higher in both groups after treatment,but the trend was more pronounced in the study group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Compared with simple enteral nutrition,enteral nutrition combined with probiotics can better correct metabolic disorders after heavy craniocerebral injury and improve the nutritional status of patients.

Nursing Experience of Early Application of Nasoenteric Tube for Enteral Nutrition in Critically Ill ICU Patients

Objective:To investigate the effective nursing measures of early application of nasoenteric tube for enteral nutrition in critically ill patients in ICU,and to summarize the nursing experience.Methods:The study was carried out in June 2023–November 2023.62 samples of ICU critically ill patients were selected,all of whom used enteral nutrition by mesenteric tube and were grouped into an observation group(n=31)and a control group(n=31)by using the numerical table randomization method.The patients in the control group were basic nursing interventions,and the patients in the observation group were comprehensive quality care,comparing the nutritional indexes,complication rates,and nursing satisfaction between the two groups.Results:All nutritional indicators of the observation group were higher than those of the control group after nursing intervention(P<0.05);the complication rate of the observation group was lower than that of the control group(P<0.05);the nursing satisfaction of the observation group was higher than that of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Comprehensive quality nursing care during the early application of a gastroenteric tube for enteral nutrition in critically ill patients in the ICU can improve nutritional indexes,reduce the incidence of complications and improve nursing satisfaction.

Effect of Sequential Early Enteral Nutrition on Postoperative Rehabilitation and Complications in Gastric Cancer Patients

Objective:To analyze the effect of sequential early enteral nutrition in patients with gastric cancer after surgery.Methods:A total of 139 gastric cancer patients,treated between October 2021 and October 2023,were randomly selected and divided into two groups:Group A(68 cases,receiving early enteral nutrition)and Group B(71 cases,receiving sequential early enteral nutrition),using computer randomization.The effects of the interventions on both groups were compared.Results:Seven days post-operation,the levels of nutritional indicators in Group B were significantly higher than those in Group A(P<0.05).Group B showed significantly better levels of inflammatory factors and immune factors compared to Group A seven days post-operation(P<0.05).The postoperative complication rate in Group B was 4.23%,2 significantly lower than that in Group A,which was 16.18%(χ=5.477,P=0.019).Conclusion:The utilization of sequential early enteral nutrition in gastric cancer patients after surgery demonstrated notable improvements in nutritional status and inflammation markers,along with enhanced immunity,effectively reducing postoperative complications.

A Study on the Effect of Staged Enteral Nutrition Health Education on the Rehabilitation of Patients with Upper Gastrointestinal Bleeding

Objective:To analyze the influence of stage-specific enteral nutrition health education on the rehabilitation outcomes of patients with upper gastrointestinal bleeding(UGIB).Methods:A total of 120 patients with UGIB,treated between August 2021 and August 2023,were randomly divided into two groups:the observation group and the control group.The control group received standard enteral nutrition nursing intervention,while the observation group received an additional stage-specific enteral nutrition health education intervention based on the control group’s method.The intervention status of the two groups was then evaluated.Results:Before the intervention,the serum hemoglobin levels of the two groups were comparable(P>0.05).After the intervention,the nutritional indicators in the observation group improved significantly and were higher than those in the control group(P<0.05).Additionally,the observation group had shorter bed activity times and hospitalization periods,a lower rate of abandonment of nutritional preparations,and a higher quality of life compared to the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:The implementation of stage-specific enteral nutrition health education in the treatment of patients with UGIB helps accelerate the rate of recovery,improve nutritional indexes,and enhance the quality of life of patients.

Evaluation of the Application Effect of Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition Therapy Combined with a Health Belief Education Model in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Objective:To evaluate the application effect of enteral and parenteral nutrition therapy combined with a health belief education model in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.Methods:80 patients with inflammatory bowel disease admitted to the Shanghai Zhangjiang Institute of Medical Innovation were chosen.This study was carried out from August 2022 to October 2023.The patients were randomly divided into a study group(40 cases)and a control group(40 cases).The treatment plan for the control group was the conventional treatment model,while the treatment plan for the study group was to provide enteral and parenteral nutrition therapy combined with a health belief education model based on the control group.The efficacy of both groups was compared.Results:In the study group,the therapeutic effect for 31 patients(77.50%)was markedly effective and 7 was effective(17.50%),accounting for 95.0%of the total,which was higher than the control group at 80.0%(P<0.05).The relief time of relevant symptoms in the study group was shorter than that of the control group(P<0.05).Before treatment,there were no differences in the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),interleukin 10(IL-10),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)between both groups(P>0.05).After treatment,the levels of inflammatory factors in the study group(hs-CRP(8.02±1.13)mg/L,IL-10(9.24±1.25)pg/mL,and TNF-α(7.19±1.04)ng/L)were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion:Enteral and parenteral nutritional therapy combined with a health belief education model showed significant efficacy in inflammatory bowel disease patients.Patient symptoms were relieved and inflammatory reactions were reduced.This method is worthy of popularization.

Eff ects of early standardized enteral nutrition on preventing acute muscle loss in the acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with mechanical ventilation

BACKGROUND:To investigate the eff ects of early standardized enteral nutrition(EN)on the crosssectional area of erector spine muscle(ESMcsa),plasma growth diff erentiation factor-15(GDF-15),and 28-day mortality of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)patients with invasive mechanical ventilation(MV).METHODS:A total of 97 AECOPD patients with invasive MV were screened in the ICUs of the First People's Hospital of Lianyungang.The conventional EN group(stage Ⅰ)and early standardized EN group(stage Ⅱ)included 46 and 51 patients,respectively.ESMcsa loss and GDF-15 levels on days 1 and 7 of ICU admission and 28-day survival rates were analyzed.RESULTS:On day 7,the ESMcsa of the early standardized EN group was significantly higher than that of the conventional EN group,while the plasma GDF-15 levels were significantly lower than those in the conventional EN group(ESMcsa:28.426±6.130 cm^(2) vs.25.205±6.127 cm^(2);GDF-15:1661.608±558.820 pg/mL vs.2541.000±634.845 pg/mL;all P<0.001).The 28-day survival rates of the patients in the early standardized EN group and conventional EN group were 80.40%and 73.90%,respectively(P=0.406).CONCLUSION:ESMcsa loss in AECOPD patients with MV was correlated with GDF-15 levels,both of which indicated acute muscular atrophy and skeletal muscle dysfunction.Early standardized EN may prevent acute muscle loss and intensive care unit-acquired weakness(ICU-AW)in AECOPD patients.

Examining the impact of early enteral nutritional support on postoperative recovery in patients undergoing surgical treatment for gastrointestinal neoplasms

BACKGROUND Patients with gastrointestinal tumors often suffer from poor nutritional status during treatment.Surgery is the main treatment for these patients,but the long postoperative recovery period is often accompanied by digestive and absorption dysfunction,leading to further deterioration of the nutritional status.Early enteral nutrition support is hypothesized to be helpful in improving this situation,but the exact effects have yet to be studied in depth.AIM To observe the effect of early enteral nutritional support on postoperative recovery in patients with surgically treated gastrointestinal tract tumors,with the expectation that by improving the nutritional status of patients,the recovery process would be accelerated and the incidence of complications would be reduced,thus improving the quality of life.METHODS A retrospective analysis of 121 patients with gastrointestinal tract tumors treated in our hospital from January 2020 to January 2023 was performed.Fifty-three of these patients received complete parenteral nutrition support as the control group for this study.The other 68 patients received early enteral nutritional support as the observation group of this study.The clinical indicators comparing the two groups included time to fever,time to recovery of postoperative bowel function,time to postoperative exhaustion,and length of hospital stay.The changes in immune function and nutritional indexes in the two groups were compared.Furthermore,we utilized the SF-36 scale to compare the changes in the quality of life between the two groups of patients.Finally,the occurrence of postoperative complications between the two patient groups was also compared.RESULTS The postoperative fever time,postoperative bowel function recovery time,postoperative exhaustion time,and hospitalization time were all higher in the control group than in the observation group(P<0.05).The levels of CD3+,CD4+,immunoglobulin(Ig)A,IgM,and IgG in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group at 1 d and 7 d postoperatively,while CD8+was lower than in the control group(P<0.05).Total protein,albumin,prealbumin,and transferrin levels were significantly higher in the observation group than in the control group at 7 d postoperatively(P<0.05).The SF-36 scores of patients in the observation group were significantly higher than those in the control group(P<0.0001).The overall incidence of adverse reactions after the intervention was significantly lower in the control group than in the observation group(P=0.021).CONCLUSION We found that patients with gastrointestinal tumors are nutritionally vulnerable,and early enteral nutrition support programs can improve the nutritional status of patients and speed up postoperative recovery.This program can not only improve the immune function of the patient and protect the intestinal function,but it can also help to improve the quality of life of the patient.However,this program will increase the incidence of complications in patients.Caution should be taken when adopting early enteral nutrition support measures for patients with gastric cancer.The patient's condition and physical condition should be comprehensively evaluated and closely monitored to prevent possible complications.

Application of early enteral nutrition nursing based on enhanced recovery after surgery theory in patients with digestive surgery

BACKGROUND Postoperative nursing can improve the restlessness and gastrointestinal function of patients with tracheal intubation under general anesthesia in digestive surgery.Wide application of various nursing methods and routine nursing in periop-erative nursing of patients with general anesthesia in digestive surgery.AIM To investigate the impact of early postoperative enteral nutrition nursing based on the enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS)theory on postoperative agitation and gastrointestinal recovery in patients undergoing general anesthesia that experienced tracheal intubation.METHODS The data of 126 patients with digestive surgery from May 2019 to February 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.According to different nursing methods,they were divided into control group and observation group,with 63 cases in observation group and 63 cases in control group.The patients in the control group had standard perioperative nursing care,whereas those in the observation group got enteral nourishment as soon as possible after surgery in accordance with ERAS theory.Both the rate and quality of gastrointestinal function recovery were compared between the two groups after treatment ended.Postoperative anes-thesia-related adverse events were tallied,patients'nutritional statuses were monitored,and the Riker sedation and agitation score(SAS)was used to measure the incidence of agitation.RESULTS When compared to the control group,the awake duration,spontaneous breathing recovery time,extubation time and postoperative eye-opening time were all considerably shorter(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the recovery time of orientation force between the two groups(P>0.05);however,the observation group had a lower SAS score than the control group(P<0.05).The recovery time for normal intestinal sounds,the time it took to have the first postoperative exhaust,the time it took to have the first postoperative defecation,and the time it took to have the first postoperative half-fluid feeding were all faster in the observation group than in the control group(P<0.05);Fasting blood glucose was lower in the observation group compared to the control group(P<0.05),while the albumin and hemoglobin levels were higher on the first and third postoperative days;however,there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of anesthesia-related adverse reactions between the two groups(P>0.05).CONCLUSION The extremely early postoperative enteral nutrition nursing based on ERAS theory can reduce the degree of agitation,improve the quality of recovery,promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function,and improve the nutritional status of patients in the recovery period after tracheal intubation under general anesthesia.

Enteral nutrition and acute pancreatitis

INTRODUCTIONAcute pancreatitis (AP) is a common severe illness of the digestive tract with variable involvement of other regional tissues and / or remote organ sysems[1-3],Mild disease is associated with minimal organ dysfunction and rapid recovery ,while severe disease is associated with multiple organ system failure and local complications such as necrosis , abscess , fistulas and pseudocyst formation [4-6].

Early enteral nutrition vs parenteral nutrition following pancreaticoduodenectomy: Experience from a single center

AIM: To analyze and compare postoperative morbidity between patients receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and early enteral nutrition supplemented with parenteral nutrition (EEN + PN).METHODS: Three hundred and forty patients receiving pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) from 2009 to 2013 at our center were enrolled retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups depending on postoperative nutrition support scheme: an EEN + PN group (n = 87) and a TPN group (n = 253). Demographic characteristics, comorbidities, preoperative biochemical parameters, pathological diagnosis, intraoperative information, and postoperative complications of the two groups were analyzed.RESULTS: The two groups did not differ in demographic characteristics, preoperative comorbidities, preoperative biochemical parameters or pathological findings (P &#x0003e; 0.05 for all). However, patients with EEN + PN following PD had a higher incidence of delayed gastric emptying (16.1% vs 6.7%, P = 0.016), pulmonary infection (10.3% vs 3.6%, P = 0.024), and probably intraperitoneal infection (18.4% vs 10.3%, P = 0.059), which might account for their longer nasogastric tube retention time (9 d vs 5 d, P = 0.006), postoperative hospital stay (25 d vs 20 d, P = 0.055) and higher hospitalization expenses (USD10397 vs USD8663.9, P = 0.008), compared to those with TPN.CONCLUSION: Our study suggests that TPN might be safe and sufficient for patient recovery after PD. Postoperative EEN should only be performed scrupulously and selectively.

Enteral nutrition in treatment of severe acute pancreatitis

Objective: To observe the role and the timing of EN inthe treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis(SAP).Methods: Eleven patients with severe acute pancreatitisunderwent systemic nutrition support were studied.EN was given through jejunostomy tube (or Beng-mark tube) after a period of PN maintenance. ENstarted when serum and urine amylase activity re-turned to normal with regular peristaltic sound, defe-cation or break wind. The sequence of preparationwas as follows: saline glucose→chemically defined di-et→polymeric diet→normal diet.Results: In all the patients, none died. The rate of latecomplications was lower, and the levels of serum albu-min and transferritin significantly increased in thepost-EN period as compared with the pre-EN period,although the count of lymphocytes was less changed.Conclusions: Nutritional support should be trans-formed from PN to EN as early as possible during thetreatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis. ENcould not only continue sufficient nutritional support,but also avoid the unfavorable effects of long-timePN, thus reducing complications as well as mortality.

EFFECTS OF ENTERAL AND PARENTERAL NUTRITION ON GASTROENTERIC HORMONES AND GASTRIC MOTILITY AFTER SUBTOTAL GASTRECTOMY

Objective To investigate the effects of enteral nutrition （EN） and parenteral nutrition （PN） on gastric motility and gastroentefic hormones after subtotal gastrectomy. Methods Forty-one patients underwent gastrectomy were randomly divided into EN group （n=20） and PN group （n=21 ）. From the first postoperative day to the seventh day, patients received either EN （EN group） or PN （PN group） with isocalofic （84.9kJ·kg^-1·d^-1） and isonitrogenous （0.11g·kg^-1·d^-1） intake. Serum gastrin （GAS）, plasma mofilin （MTL）, and plasma cholecystokinin （CCK） were measured on preoperative day, the first and seventh postoperative day. Electrogastrography （EGG） was measured on preoperative day and the seventh postoperative day. Results Compared with preoperafion, blood GAS, MTL, and CCK levels of 41 patients decreased significantly on the first day after subtotal gastrectomy （ P 〈 0. 001 ）, but returned to the preoperative levels one week later. EGG after gastrectomy showed that gastric basal electrical rhythm was significantly restrained （ P 〈 0. 001 ）. On the seventh day after subtotal gastrectomy, plasma MTL and CCK levels in EN group were higher than those in PN group （ P 〈 0.05 ）. There was no difference in GAS level between two groups. EGG in EN group was better than that in PN group postoper- atively. Conclusions The levels of gastroentefitic hormones and the gastric motility decrease significantly after subtotal gastrectomy. In contrast with PN, EN can accelerate the recovery of MTL, CCK, and gastric motility after subtotal gastrectomy.

Effect of early enteral nutrition on postoperative nutritional status and immune function in elderly patients with esophageal cancer or cardiac cancer

To explore the effect of early enteral nutrition （EN） on postoperative nutritional status, intestinal permeability, and immune 6anction in elderly patients with esophageal cancer or cardiac cancer. Methods： A total of 96 patients with esophageal cancer or cardiac cancer who underwent surgical treatment in our hospital from June 2007 to December 2010 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into EN group （n=50） and parenteral nutrition （PN） group （n=46） based on the nutrition support modes. The body weight, time to first flatus/defecation, average hospital stay, complications and mortality after the surgery as well as the liver function indicators were recorded and analyzed. Peripheral blood samples were collected on the days 1, 4 and 7 after surgery. The plasma diamine oxidase （DAO） activity and D-lactate level were determined to assess the intestinal permeability. The plasma endotoxin levels were determined using dynamic turbidimetric assay to assess the protective effect of EN on intestinal mucosal barrier. The postoperative blood levels of inflammatory cytokines and immunoglobulins were determined using enzyme- linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Results： After the surgery, the time to first flatus/defecation, average hospital stay, and complications were significantly less in the EN group than those in the PN group （P〈0.05）, whereas the EN group had significantly higher albumin levels than the PN group （P〈0.05）. On the 7th postoperative day, the DAO activity, D-lactate level and endotoxin contents were significantly lower in the EN group than those in the PN group （all P〈0.05）. In addition, the EN group had significantly higher IgA, IgG, IgM, and CD4 levels than the PN group （P〈0.05） but significantly lower IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-a levels （P〈0.05）. Conclusions： In elderly patients with esophageal cancer or cardiac cancer, early EN after surgery can effectively improve the nutritional status, protect intestinal mucosal barrier （by reducing plasma endoxins）, and enhance the immune function

Enteral nutrition in acute pancreatitis:A review of the current evidence

The use of enteral feeding as part of the management of acute pancreatitis dates back almost two decades.This review describes the indications for and limitations of enteral feeding for the treatment of acute pancreatitis using up-to-date evidence-based data.A systematic review was carried out to analyse current data on the use of enteral nutrition in the management of acute pancreatitis.Relevant literature was analysed from the viewpoints of enteral vs parenteral feeding,early vs delayed enteral nutrition,nasogastric vs nasojejunal feeding,and early oral diet and immunonutrition,particularly glutamine and probiotic supplementation.Finally,current applicable guidelines and the effects of these guidelines on clinical practice are discussed.The latest meta-analyses suggest that enteral nutrition significantly reduces the mortality rate of severe acute pancreatitis compared to parenteral feeding.To maintain gut barrier function and prevent early bacterial translocation,enteral feeding should be commenced within the first 24 h of hospital admission.Also,the safety of nasogastric feeding,which eases the administration of enteral nutrients in the clinical setting,is likely equal to nasojejunal feeding.Furthermore,an earlylow-fat oral diet is potentially beneficial in patients with mild pancreatitis.Despite the initial encouraging results,the current evidence does not support the use of immunoenhanced nutrients or probiotics in patients with acute pancreatitis.

Comparison of early enteral nutrition in severe acute pancreatitis with prebiotic fiber supplementation versus standard enteral solution:A prospective randomized double-blind study

AIM: To compare the benefi cial effects of early enteral nutrition (EN) with prebiotic fiber supplementation in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (AP).METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients with severe AP, who required stoppage of oral feeding for 48 h, were randomly assigned to nasojejunal EN with or without prebiotics. APACHE Ⅱ score, Balthazar’s CT score and CRP were assessed daily during the study period.RESULTS: The median duration of hospital stay was shorter in the study group [10 ± 4 (8-14) d vs 15 ± 6 (7-26) d] (P < 0.05). The median value of days in intensive care unit was also similar in both groups [6 ± 2 (5-8) d vs 6 ± 2 (5-7) d]. The median duration of EN was 8 ± 4 (6-12) d vs 10 ± 4 (6-13) d in the study and control groups, respectively (P > 0.05). Deaths occurred in 6 patients (20%), 2 in the study group and 4 in the control group. The mean duration of APACHE Ⅱ normalization (APACHE Ⅱ score < 8) was shorter in the study group than in the control group (4 ± 2 d vs 6.5 ± 3 d, P < 0.05). The mean duration of CRP normalization was also shorter in the study group than in the control group (7 ± 2 d vs 10 ± 3 d, P < 0.05).CONCLUSION: Nasojejunal EN with prebiotic fiber supplementation in severe AP improves hospital stay, duration nutrition therapy, acute phase response and overall complications compared to standard EN therapy.

Effects of Saccharomycesboulardiion fecal short-chain fatty acids and microflora in patients on long-term total enteral nutrition

AIM： To assess the effects of Sb on fecal flora and shortchain fatty acids （SCFA） in patients on long-term TEN. METHODS： Ten patients （3 females, 7 males, 59±5.5 years）, on TEN for a median of 13 mo （1-125）, and 15 healthy volunteers （4 females, 11 males, 32±2.0 years） received Sb （0.5 g bid PO） for 6 d. Two stool samples were taken before, on the last 2 d and 9-10 d after treatment, for SCFA measurement and for culture and bacterial identification. Values （mean4-SE） were compared using sign tests and ANOVA. RESULTS： Fecal butyrate levels were lower in patients （10.1±2.9 mmol/kg） than in controls （19.2±3.9, P= 0.02）. Treatment with Sb increased total fecal SCFA levels in patients （150.2＋27.2 vs 107.5±18.2 mmol/kg, P= 0.02） but not in controls （129.0±28.6 vs 113.0±15.2 mmol/kg, NS）. At the end of treatment with Sb, patients had higher fecal butyrate（16.0±4.4 vs 10.1 [2.9] mmol/kg, P= 0.004）. Total SCFAs remained high 9 d after treatment was discontinued. Before the treatment, the anaerobe to aerobe ratio was lower in patients compared to controls （2.4±2.3 vs 69.8±1.8, P= 0.003）. There were no significant changes in the fecal flora of TEN patients. CONCLUSION： Sb-induced increase of fecal SCFA concentrations （especially butyrate） may explain the preventive effects of this yeast on TEN-induced diarrhea.

Influences of enteral nutrition combined with probiotics on gut microflora and barrier function of rats with abdominal infection

AIM： To investigate the influences of enteral, parenteral nutrition and probiotics delivered by gut on intestinal microecology, epithelial tight junctions, immune and barrier function of rats with abdominal infection. METHODS： Rat abdominal infection models established with cecal ligation and perforation method, were divided into three groups： parenteral nutrition （PN group, n = 7）, PN＋enteral nutrition （EN group, n = 7） and PN ＋ EN ＋ probiotics （probiotics group, n = 7） via the needle jejunostomy and neck vein for five days. The total nutritional supplement of the three groups was isonitrogenic and isocaloric. Probiotics was delivered by jejunostomy 10 mL/d （1 x 10^8 cfu/mL）. The rats were killed on the sixth day. The feces in the cecum were cultured for anaerobic bacterial growth and analyzed with bacterial group DNA fingerprint profile with random amplified polymorphic DNA. The transmembrane binding proteins （occludin） and IgA level in plasma cells of intestine epithelium in colon and terminal ileum were measured by an immunohistochemistry method. The ultrastructure of intestinal epithelial tight junctions in colon and small intestine was observed by electronmicroscopy. Vena cava blood and the homogenated tissue of liver, lung and mesenteric lymph nodes were cultured to determine the bacterial translocations, and endotoxin in the blood from portal vein was detected. RESULTS： （1） The amount of bacteria of gut species in EN group and probiotic group was higher than that in PN group. The DNA-proflles in EN group and probiotic group were similar to that of normal rats. The number of DNAprofiles in probiotics group was much more than that in PN group and EN group. Moreover, there were strange stripes in PN group. （2） The expression of occludin and IgA in the small and large intestine in EN group （2.309 ± 0.336, 15.440 ± 2.383） and probiotic group （2.938 ± 0.515, 16.230 ± 3.183） was improved as compared with PN group （1.207 ± 0.587, P 〈 0.05, 11.189 ± 2.108, P 〈 0.01）. The expression of occludin in probiotic group （intestine： 2.93 ± 0.515; cecum： 3.40 ± 0.617） was higher than that in EN group （intestine： 2.309 ± 0.336; cecum： 2.076 ± 0.670; P 〈 0.05）. The expression of IgA, especially in EN group （intestine： 15.440 ± 2.383） and probiotic EN group （large intestine： 12.516 ± 1.542） significantly increased as compared with PN group （intestine： 11.189 ± 2.108; cecum： 10.160 ± 1.643; P 〈 0.01）. The intestinal epithelial tight junctions and microvilli of the probiotic group were more intact than those in the PN group. （3） The bacterial translocations in blood, liver, lung and mesenteric lymph nodes, and the levels of endotoxin were significantly reduced in probiotic （0.082 ± 0.029） and EN （0.125 ± 0.040） groups as compared with PN group （0.403 ± 0.181, P 〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： Application of EN combined with probiotics could improve the expression of transmembrane binding proteins （occludin） and IgA, correct the intestinal flora disturbance, maintain gut barrier functions and tight junctions, and reduce the occurrence of gut bacterial translocation.

Early nasogastric enteral nutrition for severe acute pancreatitis: A systematic review

AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of early nasogastric enteral nutrition (NGEN) for patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). METHODS: We searched Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 2, 2006), Pub-Medline (1966-2006), and references from relevant articles. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) only, which reported the mortality of SAP patients at least. Two reviewers assessed the quality of each trial and collected data independently. The Cochrane Collaboration’s RevMan 4.2.9 software was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: Three RCTs were included, involving 131 patients. The baselines of each trial were comparable. Meta-analysis showed no significant differences in mortality rate of SAP patients between nasogastric and conventional routes (RR = 0.76, 95% CI = 0.37 and 1.55, P = 0.45), and in other outcomes, including time of hospital stay (weighted mean difference = -5.87, 95% CI = -20.58 and 8.84, P = 0.43), complication rate of infection (RR = 1.41, 95% CI = 0.62 and 3.23, P = 0.41) or multiple organ defi ciency syndrome (RR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.27 and 3.47, P = 0.97), rate of admission to ICU (RR = 1.00, 95% CI = 0.48 and 2.09, P = 0.99) or conversion to surgery (RR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.12 and 3.69, P = 0.64), as well as recurrence of re-feeding pain and adverse events associated with nutrition. CONCLUSION: Early NGEN is a breakthrough in the management of SAP. Based on current studies, early NGEN appears effective and safe. Since the available evidence is poor in quantity, it is hard to make an accurate evaluation of the role of early NGEN in SAP.Before recommendation to clinical practice, further high qualified, large scale, randomized controlled trials are needed.