Use of the telephone-administered Minnesota Cognitive Acuity Screen to detect mild cognitive impairment.

This study determined the sensitivity and specificity of the telephone-administered Minnesota Cognitive Acuity Screen (MCAS) to distinguish mild cognitive impairment (MCI) from healthy controls (HCs) and from Alzheimer's disease (AD). A total of 100 individuals with MCI, 50 individuals with possible/probable AD, and 50 HCs were screened to exclude medical and psychiatric conditions affecting cognition. In-office evaluation included neuropsychological testing, neurologic examination, and neurodiagnostic work-up.

Methods for the assessment of gastric emptying in critically ill, enterally fed adults.

Critically ill patients may experience delayed gastric emptying. Patients receiving enteral feeding are monitored closely to detect a delay of gastric emptying, assess feeding tolerance, and prevent aspiration pneumonia. The most common practice for assessing gastric emptying is to measure the aspirated gastric residual volume; however, this is an unreliable method that lacks standardization, fails to differentiate normal digestive secretions from enteral formula, and results in unnecessary interruptions of enteral nutrition.

Burden among spousal and child caregivers of patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Background/aims: Patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) experience cognitive declines and often report significant emotional/behavioral changes. Despite this, few studies have examined the impact of MCI on caregiver burden. The purpose of this study was to confirm the presence of caregiver burden in MCI and examine the relationship between burden and patients' neuropsychological, behavioral and emotional functioning.

Enteral glutamine during active shock resuscitation is safe and enhances tolerance of enteral feeding.

Background: Feeding the hemodynamically unstable patient is increasingly practiced, yet few data exist on its safety. Because enteral glutamine is protective to the gut in experimental models of shock and improves clinical outcomes, it may benefit trauma patients undergoing shock resuscitation and improve tolerance if administered early. This pilot study aimed to evaluate gastrointestinal tolerance and safety of enteral feeding with glutamine, beginning during shock resuscitation in severely injured patients.