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 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.

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.

Relationship between nutritional therapy and beneficial bacteria ratio in severe disease

Objective:To evaluate relationship between changes in the beneficial bacteria in intensive care unit(ICU)patients and nutritional therapy type.Methods:Ten patients aged≥18 years admitted to the ICU between January and December 2020,were included.Good enteral nutrition was defined as early achievement of target calorie intake through enteral feeding.The ratio of beneficial bacteria at the first and second bowel movements after each patient’s admission was calculated and the patients were classified into the increase or decrease group.Among all patients,five each were in the increase and decrease groups.We investigated patient background,changes in sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation(APACHE)Ⅱscores,nutritional doses or methods,and clinical outcomes.Results:No relationship was found between changes in the ratio of beneficial bacteria and changes in SOFA/APACHEⅡscores at the time of admission.The rate of good enteral nutrition was significantly higher in the increase group than in the decrease group(4/5 vs.0/5,P=0.01).Conclusions:An increase in beneficial bacteria may be significantly related to the early establishment of enteral nutrition.In the future,accumulating cases may make it possible to establish a new nutritional strategy for critically ill patients from an intestinal microbiota perspective.

Prescription and Delivery of Enteral Nutrition for ICU Patients: A Case Study of a Hospital in the Interior of Brazil

Background: The objective of the present study was to evaluate during one year the total delivery of volume, calories, and proteins and compare them with the total prescribed to ICU patients using ENT (Enteral Nutrition Therapy) exclusively. Methods: Data on the prescribed or infused volume, calories, and protein, as well as their respective needs for each individual, were collected. Anthropometric parameters and age data were also collected from the medical records of 41 patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Results: Prescribed versus infused enteral diet volume was presented in 5 weeks which corresponds to the maximum duration of ICU treatment. Regarding sampling, the majority corresponded to elderly people (>64 years old) and males (63.4%). The total average prescribed was 719.2 mL of enteral diet on an average of 649.7 mL delivered. In addition, there was no significant difference between the prescribed and delivered volume, caloric value, and protein content of the diet only in the last week of hospitalization, which corresponded to the range of 29 - 36 days. Several factors make it difficult to reach the patient’s caloric and protein recommendations. Most of the reasons are not recorded, corresponding to 57.1%, indicating the difficulty of assessing the inadequacy of the prescribed and delivered volume. Conclusion: To our knowledge, this is the first time that a prescription vs. delivery assessment has been carried out for patients in the Brazilian Midwest. In addition, although our research is a difficulty reported worldwide (in most hospitals), we also provide opportunities for how the problem was solved in our case, which may contribute to other cases.

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.

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.

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.

黄芪槐花散颗粒剂+肠内营养(EN)治疗方案在环状混合痔围手术期的应用效果研究

目的 探究黄芪槐花散颗粒剂+肠内营养(EN)治疗方案在环状混合痔围手术期的应用效果。方法选择本院自2021年1月—2022年5月收治的240例环状混合痔患者进行临床实践研究,采用双色球法对患者进行分组,分为实验组和对照组,120例/组,对照组术前及术后正常饮食,实验组术前口服EN,术后口服黄芪槐花散颗粒剂+EN,对比两组患者治疗前后的白蛋白、前白蛋白等营养指标水平、切口疼痛程度评分及术后首次排便时间、切口愈合时间。结果 治疗前,两组患者白蛋白、前白蛋白等营养指标水平、切口疼痛程度评分对比差异不显著,无统计学意义(P>0.05);治疗后,实验组患者白蛋白、前白蛋白等营养指标与对照组差异不显著,无统计学意义(P>0.05);实验组患者术后第2~6d切口疼痛程度评分低于对照组,实验组患者术后首次排便时间长于对照组,实验组患者切口愈合时间短于对照组,两组对比差异显著,具有统计学意义(P<0.05)。结论 黄芪槐花散颗粒剂+EN治疗方案在环状混合痔围手术期的应用效果显著,值得推广。

Exploring choices of early nutritional support for patients with sepsis based on changes in intestinal microecology

BACKGROUND Sepsis exacerbates intestinal microecological disorders leading to poor prognosis.Proper modalities of nutritional support can improve nutrition,immunity,and intestinal microecology.AIM To identify the optimal modality of early nutritional support for patients with sepsis from the perspective of intestinal microecology.METHODS Thirty patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit of the General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University,China,between 2019 and 2021 with indications for nutritional support,were randomly assigned to one of three different modalities of nutritional support for a total of 5 d:Total enteral nutrition(TEN group),total parenteral nutrition(TPN group),and supplemental parenteral nutrition(SPN group).Blood and stool specimens were collected before and after nutritional support,and changes in gut microbiota,short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs),and immune and nutritional indicators were detected and compared among the three groups.RESULTS In comparison with before nutritional support,the three groups after nutritional support presented:(1)Differences in the gut bacteria(Enterococcus increased in the TEN group,Campylobacter decreased in the TPN group,and Dialister decreased in the SPN group;all P<0.05);(2)different trends in SCFAs(the TEN group showed improvement except for Caproic acid,the TPN group showed improvement only for acetic and propionic acid,and the SPN group showed a decreasing trend);(3)significant improvement of the nutritional and immunological indicators in the TEN and SPN groups,while only immunoglobulin G improved in the TPN group(all P<0.05);and(4)a significant correlation was found between the gut bacteria,SCFAs,and nutritional and immunological indicators(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION TEN is recommended as the preferred mode of early nutritional support in sepsis based on clinical nutritional and immunological indicators,as well as changes in intestinal microecology.

Effects of early enteral nutrition on immune function of severe acute pancreatitis patients

AIM:To investigate the effects of early enteral nutrition (EEN) on the immune function and clinical outcome of patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).METHODS:Patients were randomly allocated to receive EEN or delayed enteral nutrition (DEN).Enteral nutrition was started within 48 h after admission in EEN group,whereas from the 8 th day in DEN group.All the immunologic parameters and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were collected on days 1,3,7 and 14 after admission.The clinical outcome variables were also recorded.RESULTS:Sixty SAP patients were enrolled to this study.The CD4+ T-lymphocyte percentage,CD4+/CD8+ ratio,and the CRP levels in EEN group became significantly lower than in DEN group from the 7 th day after admission.In contrast,the immunoglobulin G(IgG) levels and human leukocyte antigen-DR expression in EEN group became significantly higher than in DEN group from the 7 th day after admission.No difference of CD8+ T-lymphocyte percentage,IgM and IgA levels was found between the two groups.The incidences of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome,systemic inflammatory response syndrome,and pancreatic infection as well as the duration of intensive care unit stay were significantly lower in EEN group than in DEN group.However,there was no difference of hospital mortality between the two groups.CONCLUSION:EEN moderates the excessive immune response during the early stage of SAP without leading to subsequent immunosuppression.EEN can improve the clinical outcome,but not decrease the hospital mortality of SAP patients.

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.

Early Enteral Combined with Parenteral Nutrition Treatment for Severe Traumatic Brain Injury:Effects on Immune Function,Nutritional Status and Outcomes

Objective To compare the conjoint effect of enteral nutrition (EN) and parenteral nutrition (PN)with single EN or PN on immune function, nutritional status, complications and clinical outcomes of patientswith severe traumatic brain injury (STBI).Methods A prospective randomized control trial was carried out from January 2009 to May 2012 inNeurological Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Patients of STBI who met the enrolment criteria (Glasgow ComaScale score 6~8; Nutritional Risk Screening ≥3) were randomly divided into 3 groups and were administratedEN, PN or EN＋PN treatments respectively. The indexes of nutritional status, immune function,complications and clinical outcomes were examined and compared statistically.

Effect of early enteral combined with parenteral nutrition in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy

AIM:To investigate the effect of early enteral nutrition(EEN)combined with parenteral nutritional support in patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy(PD).METHODS:From January 2006,all patients were given EEN combined with parenteral nutrition(PN)(EEN/PN group,n=107),while patients prior to this date were given total parenteral nutrition(TPN)(TPN group,n=67).Venous blood samples were obtained for a nutrition-associated assessment and liver function tests on the day before surgery and 6 d after surgery.The assessment of clinical outcome was based on postoperative complications.Follow-up for infectious and noninfectious complications was carried out for 30 d after hospital discharge.Readmission within 30 d afterdischarge was also recorded.RESULTS:Compared with the TPN group,a significant decrease in prealbumin(PAB)(P=0.023)was seen in the EEN/PN group.Total bilirubin(TB),direct bilirubin(DB)and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)were significantly decreased on day 6 in the EEN/PN group(P=0.006,0.004 and 0.032,respectively).The rate of gradeⅠcomplications,gradeⅡcomplications and the length of postoperative hospital stay in the EEN/PN group were significantly decreased(P=0.036,0.028and 0.021,respectively),and no hospital mortality was observed in our study.Compared with the TPN group(58.2%),the rate of infectious complications in the EEN/PN group(39.3%)was significantly decreased(P=0.042).Eleven cases of delayed gastric emptying were noted in the TPN group,and 6 cases in the EEN/PN group.The rate of delayed gastric emptying and hyperglycemia was significantly reduced in the EEN/PN group(P=0.031 and P=0.040,respectively).CONCLUSION:Early enteral combined with PN can greatly improve liver function,reduce infectious complications and delayed gastric emptying,and shorten postoperative hospital stay in patients undergoing PD.

Effects of early enteral nutrition on Th17/Treg cells and IL-23/IL-17 in septic patients

BACKGROUND The imbalance of Th17/Treg cells and the IL-23/IL-17 axis have been confirmed to be associated with sepsis and various inflammatory diseases. Early enteral nutrition (EEN) can modulate the inflammatory response, improve immune dysfunction, and prevent enterogenic infection in critically ill patients;however, the precise mechanisms remain unclear. Considering the important roles of Th17 and Treg lymphocytes in the development of inflammatory and infectious diseases, we hypothesized that EEN could improve the immune dysfunction in sepsis by maintaining a balanced Th17/Treg cell ratio and by regulating the IL- 23/IL-17 axis. AIM To investigate the effects of EEN on the Th17/Treg cell ratios and the IL-23/IL-17 axis in septic patients. METHODS In this prospective clinical trial, patients were randomly divided into an EEN or delayed enteral nutrition (DEN) group. Enteral feeding was started within 48 h in the EEN group, whereas enteral feeding was started on the 4th day in the DEN group. The Th17 and Treg cell percentages and the interleukin levels were tested on days 1, 3, and 7 after admission. The clinical severity and outcome variables were also recorded. RESULTS Fifty-three patients were enrolled in this trial from October 2017 to June 2018. The Th17 cell percentages, Th17/Treg cell ratios, IL-17, IL-23, and IL-6 levels of the EEN group were lower than those of the DEN group on the 7th day after admission (P < 0.05). The duration of mechanical ventilation and of the intensive care unit stay of the EEN group were shorter than those of the DEN group (P <0.05). However, no difference in the 28-d mortality was found between the two groups (P = 0.728). CONCLUSION EEN could regulate the imbalance of Th17/Treg cell ratios and suppress the IL- 23/IL-17 axis during sepsis. Moreover, EEN could reduce the clinical severity of sepsis but did not reduce the 28-d mortality of septic patients.

Enteral nutrition and immune modulation of acute pancreatitis

Enteral nutrition has been strongly recommended by major scientific societies for the nutritional management of patients with acute pancreatitis.Providing severe acute pancreatitis patients with enteral nutrition within the first 24-48 h of hospital admission can help improve outcomes compared to parenteral nutrition and no feeding.New research is focusing in on when and what to feed to best improve outcomes for acute pancreatitis patients.Early enteral nutrition have the potential to modulate the immune responses.Despite this consistent evidence of early enteral nutrition in patients with acute pancreatitis,clinical practice continues to vary due to individual clinician preference.Achieving the immune modulating effects of enteral nutrition heavily depend on proper placement of the feeding tube and managing any tube feeding associated complications.The current article reviews the immune modulating effects of enteral nutrition and pro-and prebiotics and suggests some practical tools that help improve the patient adherence and tolerance to the tube feeding.Proper selection of the type of the tube,close monitoring of the tube for its placement,patency and securing its proper placement and routine checking the gastric residual volume could all help improve the outcome.Using peptide-based and high medium chaintriglycerides feeding formulas help improving feeding tolerance.

Fiber and prebiotic supplementation in enteral nutrition:A systematic review and meta-analysis

AIM:To investigate fiber and prebiotic supplementation of enteral nutrition(EN) for diarrhea,fecal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs).METHODS:MEDLINE,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,CINAHL,Academic Search Premier,and Web of Science databases were searched for human experimental and observational cohort studies conducted between January 1990 and June 2014.The keywords used for the literature search were fiber,prebiotics and enteral nutrition.English language studies with adult patient populations on exclusive EN were selected.Abstracts and/or full texts of selected studies were reviewed and agreed upon by two independent researchers for inclusion in the meta-analysis.Tools used for the quality assessment were Jadad Scale and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network Critical Appraisal of the Medical Literature.RESULTS:A total of 456 possible articles were retrieved,and 430 were excluded due to lack of appropriate data.Of the 26 remaining studies,only eight investigated the effects of prebiotics.Results of the meta-analysis indicated that overall,fiber reduces diarrhea in patients receiving EN(OR = 0.47;95%CI:0.29-0.77;P = 0.02).Subgroup analysis revealed a positive effect of fiber supplementation in EN towards diarrhea in stable patients(OR = 0.31;95%CI:0.19-0.51;P < 0.01),but not in critically ill patients(OR = 0.89;95%CI:0.41-1.92;P = 0.77).Prebiotic supplementation in EN does not improve the incidence of diarrhea despite its manipulative effect on bifidobacteria concentrations and SCFA in healthy humans.In addition,the effect of fiber and/or prebiotic supplementation towards fecal microbiota and SCFA remain disputable.CONCLUSION:Fiber helps minimize diarrhea in patients receiving EN,particularly in non-critically ill patients.However,the effect of prebiotics in moderating diarrhea is inconclusive.

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.

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 biochemicalparameters, 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 > 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.