Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients with home enteral nutrition

Standards for the Use of Enteral Nutrition in Patients with Diabetes or Stress Hyperglycaemia: Expert Consensus

(1) Background: Hyperglycaemia that occurs during enteral nutrition (EN) should be prevented and treated appropriately since it can have important consequences for morbidity and mortality. However, there are few quality studies in the literature regarding the management of EN in this situation. The objective of this project was to attempt to respond, through a panel of experts, to those clinical problems regarding EN in patients with diabetes or stress hyperglycaemia (hereinafter referred to only as hyperglycaemia) for which we do not have conclusive scientific evidence; (2) Methods: The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method, a modified Delphi panel method, was applied. A panel of experts made up of 10 clinical nutrition specialists was formed, and they scored on the appropriateness of EN in hyperglycaemia, doing so in two rounds. A total of 2992 clinical scenarios were examined, which were stratified into five chapters: type of formula used, method of administration, infusion site, treatment of diabetes, and gastrointestinal complications. (3) Results: consensus was detected in 36.4% of the clinical scenarios presented, of which 23.7% were deemed appropriate scenarios, while 12.7% were deemed inappropriate. The remaining 63.6% of the scenarios were classified as uncertain; (4) Conclusions: The recommendations extracted will be useful for improving the clinical management of these patients. However, there are still many uncertain scenarios reflecting that the criteria for the management of EN in hyperglycaemia are not completely standardised. More studies are required to provide quality recommendations in this area.

[Innovation in clinical nutrition: single dose in intermittent enteral tube feeding]

Introduction

The home enteral nutrition practical guidelines of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) published in 2020 includes 61 recommendations. A significant number of them are related to safety parameters, prevention of complications, control strategies and quality of life of patients and family members. These are the same reasons why single-dose units are usually used on all medicines. Enteral feeding is one of the few treatments that has not yet reached the single dose and most patients with intermittent enteral nutrition by gastric tube have a dose which differs from pharmaceutical presentation. This leads to the risk of complications arising from errors in the administration that should not be forgotten and that affect mostly elderly and highly dependent populations. The innovation that consists in the creation of 375 ml single-dose containers for enteral feeding following the physiological schedules of the takes can solve most of them and meets the energy protein requirements and recommendations on dosage developed by scientific societies for patients at higher risk.

A real-life study of the medium to long-term effectiveness of a hypercaloric, hyperproteic enteral nutrition formula specifically for patients with diabetes on biochemical parameters of metabolic control and nutritional status

INTRODUCTION

Although current recommendations suggest the use of specific formulas in enteral nutrition in people with diabetes, there is little evidence of their long-term effectiveness in glycemic control. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the long-term efficacy (24 weeks) of a specific high-protein hypercaloric enteral nutrition formula for people with diabetes in glycemic control and in their improvement in nutritional status.

METHODOLOGY

This was a multicenter, prospective, observational, real-life study of patients with long-term enteral nutrition prescription through gastrostomy or nasogastric tube who received a high protein hypercaloric formula specific for diabetes. Once the participant's informed consent was obtained and the inclusion and exclusion criteria were verified, data relating to glycemic control, inflammation parameters, biochemical data, nutritional status and gastrointestinal tolerance at 0, 12 and 24 weeks were collected.

RESULTS

112 patients were recruited, 44.6% women, age 75.0 (12.0) years and a mean time of evolution of diabetes of 18.1 (9.5) years. The percentage of patients with malnutrition according to VGS decreased throughout the treatment from 78.6% to 29.9% (p < 0.001). Glycemic and HbA1c levels were significantly reduced at 12 and 24 weeks (Blood glucose 155.9-139.0-133.9 mg/dl, p < 0.001; HbA1c 7.7-7.3-7.1%, p < 0.001) while no significant changes were observed in cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, or glomerular filtration. A significant increase in variables related to nutritional status was observed: weight, the BMI, albumin, prealbumin and transferrin, and CRP levels were significantly reduced and the CRP/Albumin ratio decreased. Gastrointestinal tolerance was good, the number of patients with moderate-severe symptoms was small, and did not change throughout the follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Our real-life study suggests that the use of a specific hyperprotein hypercaloric formula for diabetes during a 6-month nutritional treatment allows adequate glycemic control and nutritional evolution, with good gastrointestinal tolerance.

A real-life study of the medium to long-term effectiveness of a hypercaloric, hyperproteic enteral nutrition formula specifically for patients with diabetes on biochemical parameters of metabolic control and nutritional status

INTRODUCTION

Although current recommendations suggest the use of specific formulas in enteral nutrition in people with diabetes, there is little evidence of their long-term effectiveness in glycemic control. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the long-term efficacy (24 weeks) of a specific high-protein hypercaloric enteral nutrition formula for people with diabetes in glycemic control and in their improvement in nutritional status.

METHODOLOGY

This was a multicenter, prospective, observational, real-life study of patients with long-term enteral nutrition prescription through gastrostomy or nasogastric tube who received a high protein hypercaloric formula specific for diabetes. Once the participant's informed consent was obtained and the inclusion and exclusion criteria were verified, data relating to glycemic control, inflammation parameters, biochemical data, nutritional status and gastrointestinal tolerance at 0, 12 and 24 weeks were collected.

RESULTS

112 patients were recruited, 44.6% women, age 75.0 (12.0) years and a mean time of evolution of diabetes of 18.1 (9.5) years. The percentage of patients with malnutrition according to VGS decreased throughout the treatment from 78.6% to 29.9% (P<.001). Glycemic and HbA1c levels were significantly reduced at 12 and 24 weeks (Blood glucose 155.9-139.0-133.9mg/dl, P<.001; HbA1c 7.7-7.3-7.1%, P<.001) while no significant changes were observed in cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, or glomerular filtration. A significant increase in variables related to nutritional status was observed: weight, the BMI, albumin, prealbumin and transferrin, and CRP levels were significantly reduced and the CRP / Albumin ratio decreased. Gastrointestinal tolerance was good, the number of patients with moderate-severe symptoms was small, and did not change throughout the follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Our real-life study suggests that the use of a specific hyperprotein hypercaloric formula for diabetes during a 6-month nutritional treatment allows adequate glycemic control and nutritional evolution, with good gastrointestinal tolerance.