Rasch analysis in the development of the NutriQoL® questionnaire, a specific health-related quality of life instrument for home enteral nutrition.

Background: Home enteral nutrition (HEN) is a therapeutic method used in patients who are unable to ingest the required amounts of nutrients but retain a functional gastrointestinal tract. The objective of this study was to compose a specific questionnaire for measuring health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in HEN patients irrespective of their underlying condition and HEN route of administration.

Methods: Literature review, focus groups and semi-structured interviews were used to propose an initial version of the questionnaire which was answered by 165 participants.

Chronic radiation enteritis after ovarian cancer: from home parenteral nutrition to oral diet.

Introduction: External beam radiation of abdominal and pelvic cavities is a current therapy for gynaecological cancer that often produces radiation-induced bowel injury and malnutrition.

Case Report: A 72-year old patient underwent surgery and external beam radiation therapy for an ovarian carcinoma. Two years later she was found to have intestinal pseudoobstruction related to chronic radiation enteritis and protein-energy malnutrition.

Prospective study of resting energy expenditure changes in head and neck cancer patients treated with chemoradiotherapy measured by indirect calorimetry.

Objective: The prevalence of malnutrition is high in patients with head and neck cancer due to tumor location and coadjuvant treatment. We studied changes in resting energy expenditure (REE) during treatment with chemoradiotherapy and compared the measured REE by indirect calorimetry (IC) with the value estimated by the Harris-Benedict (HB) formula.

Methods: Eighteen patients with head and neck cancer (15 men and 3 women, mean age 57 +/- 10.