Functional lipidomics in patients on home parenteral nutrition: Effect of lipid emulsions

To investigate the fatty acid-based functional lipidomics of patients on long-term home parenteral nutrition receiving different intravenous lipid emulsions. METHODSA cross-sectional comparative study was carried out on 3 groups of adults on home parenteral nutrition (HPN), receiving an HPN admixture containing an olive-soybean oil-based intravenous lipid emulsion (IVLE) (OO-IVLE; n = 15), a soybean- medium-chain triacylglycerol-olive-fish oil-based IVLE (SMOF-IVLE; n = 8) or HPN without IVLE (No-IVLE; n = 8) and 42 healthy controls (HCs). The inclusion criteria were: duration of HPN ≥ 3 mo, current HPN admixtures ≥ 2 mo and HPN infusions ≥ 2/wk. Blood samples were drawn 4-6 h after the discontinuation of the overnight HPN infusion. The functional lipidomics panel included: the red blood cell (RBC) fatty acid (FA) profile, molecular biomarkers [membrane fluidity: saturated/monounsaturated FA ratio = saturated fatty acid (SFA)/monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) index; inflammatory risk: n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio = n-6/n-3 index; cardiovascular risk: sum of n-3 eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) = n-3 index; free radical stress: sum of FA trans isomers = %trans index] and FA pathway enzyme activity estimate (delta-9-desaturase = D9D; delta-6-desaturase = D6D; delta-5-desaturase = D5D; elongase = ELO). Statistics were carried out using nonparametric tests. The amount of each FA was calculated as a percentage of the total FA content (relative%). RESULTSIn the OO-IVLE group, the percentage of oleic acid in the RBCs was positively correlated with the weekly load of OO-IVLE (r = 0.540, P = 0.043). In the SMOF-IVLE cohort, the RBC membrane EPA and DHA were positively correlated with the daily amount of SMOF-IVLE (r = 0.751, P = 0.044) and the number of HPN infusions per week (r = 0.753; P = 0.046), respectively. The SMOF-IVLE group showed the highest EPA and DHA and the lowest arachidonic acid percentages (P < 0.001). The RBC membrane linoleic acid content was lower, and oleic and vaccenic acids were higher in all the HPN groups in comparison to the HCs. Vaccenic acid was positively correlated with the weekly HPN load of glucose in both the OO-IVLE (r = 0.716; P = 0.007) and the SMOF-IVLE (r = 0.732; P = 0.053) groups. The estimated activity of D9D was higher in all the HPN groups than in the HCs (P < 0.001). The estimated activity of D5D was lower in the SMOF-IVLE group than in the HCs (P = 0.013). The SFA/MUFA ratio was lower in all the HPN groups than in the HCs (P < 0.001). The n-6/n-3 index was lower and the n-3 index was higher in the SMOF-IVLE group in comparison to the HCs and to the other HPN groups (P < 0.001). The %trans index did not differ among the four groups. CONCLUSIONThe FA profile of IVLEs significantly influenced the cell membrane functional lipidomics. The amount of glucose in the HPN may play a relevant role, mediated by the insulin regulation of the FA pathway enzyme activities.

Impact of Three-month Home Enteral Nutritional Supplementation on the Nutritional Status of Patients with Malignancy

Objective We analysed the impact of home nutritional interventions on the nutritional risk and the incidence and severity of malnutrition in patients with malignancy.Methods In this prospective interventional study,we recruited 60 patients with malignancy who were at nutritional risk(NRS 2002≥3 scores).These patients were given home enteral nutritional supplementation(HES)for 3 months.The HES included nutritional counselling,oral nutritional supplements(ONS)and tube feeding.The incidence and severity of nutritional risk and malnutrition,as well as the body composition and results of routine blood tests,were compared before and after the intervention.Results A total of 58 patients completed the study.After three months of home enteral nutritional intervention,the incidence and severity of nutritional risk and malnutrition were significantly reduced(the NRS 2002 score was reduced from 3 to 1,the PG-SGA score was reduced from 8.00 to 3.00,P<0.05).The patients’body mass index(BMI)and upper arm circumference increased(P<0.05),the muscle mass,appendicular skeletal muscle mass index(ASMI)and phase angle(PA)increased(P<0.05).The serum albumin,pre-albumin and haemoglobin levels increased significantly,while the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and platelet/lymphocyte ratio(PLR)decreased significantly(P<0.05).The incidence of hypoproteinaemia and anaemia also decreased significantly(P<0.05).Conclusion HES can effectively improve the nutritional status of patients and reduce the risk and severity of malnutrition.

Management of intestinal failure in inflammatory bowel disease:Small intestinal transplantation or home parenteral nutrition?

Inflammatory bowel disease and Crohn&#x02019;s disease in particular, is a common cause of intestinal failure. Current therapeutic options include home parenteral nutrition and intestinal transplantation. For most patients, home intravenous therapy including parenteral nutrition, with a good probability of long-term survival, is the favoured choice. However, in selected patients, with specific features that may shorten survival or complicate home parenteral nutrition, intestinal transplantation presents a viable alternative. We present survival, complications, quality of life and economic considerations that currently influence individualised decision-making between home parenteral nutrition and intestinal transplantation.

Short-term effects of supplementary feeding with enteral nutrition via jejunostomy catheter on post-gastrectomy gastric cancer patients

Background Most gastric cancer patients who undergo gastrectomy develop malnutrition. It is, therefore, crucial to establish an effective means to provide nutrition for these patients. To perform home enteral nutrition （EN） to ensure adequate nutritional intake in gastric cancer patients, we placed a jejunostomy catheter during gastric surgery. Most patients showed improved nutritional status. Methods Twenty-nine inpatients at our hospital underwent radical gastrectomy and jejunostomy from December 2002 to December 2007 and were designated as the jejunostomy group, and 32 matched patients without a jejunostomy tube were designated as the tube-free group. The jejunostomy group was treated with EN from 72 hours to 3 months postoperatively. The tube-free group did not receive EN. Data including preoperative and postoperative body weight, body mass index （BMI）, nutrition risk screening （NRS） score, Karnofsky performance score （KPS）, and laboratory biochemical indicators were documented respectively and compared. Results Compared with preoperative week 1, both groups showed decreased body weight and BMI at 3 months postoperatively. The weight loss in the jejunostomy group （（7.1±3.3） kg） was significantly less than that in the tube-free group （（9.9±3.1） kg）. Similarly, BMI decreased by （2.4±1.0） kg/m2 in the jejunostomy group, which was significantly less than in the tube-free group （（3.2±0.9） kg/m2）. The number of patients with postoperative NRS 〉3 was decreased in the jejunostomy group, but was increased in the tube-free group, and this difference was significant. There were no significant differences between the two groups in total lymphocyte count, hemoglobin, albumin and prealbumin, and adverse drug effects. Conclusions Short-term （3 months） EN supplementation via jejunostomy tube can reduce the risk of malnutrition and weight loss, and improve tolerance of chemotherapy. Tube feeding is reliable for achieving these goals because it is not important whether or not the oatients have appetites.