Association of Nutritional Support With Clinical Outcomes Among Medical Inpatients Who Are Malnourished or at Nutritional Risk: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: Malnutrition affects a considerable proportion of the medical inpatient population. There is uncertainty regarding whether use of nutritional support during hospitalization in these patients positively alters their clinical outcomes.

Objective: To assess the association of nutritional support with clinical outcomes in medical inpatients who are malnourished or at nutritional risk.

Copeptin levels and commonly used laboratory parameters in hospitalised patients with severe hypernatraemia - the "Co-MED study".

Background: Hypernatraemia is common in inpatients and is associated with substantial morbidity. Its differential diagnosis is challenging, and delayed treatment may have devastating consequences. The most important hormone for the regulation of water homeostasis is arginine vasopressin, and copeptin, the C-terminal portion of the precursor peptide of arginine vasopressin, might be a reliable new parameter with which to assess the underlying cause of hypernatraemia.

Characteristics and outcomes of patients with profound hyponatraemia due to primary polydipsia.

Objective: Hyponatraemia due to excessive fluid intake (ie primary polydipsia [PP]) is common. It may culminate in profound hyponatraemia-carrying considerable risk of morbidity. However, data on patients with PP leading to hyponatraemia are lacking.

Metformin prevents metabolic side effects during systemic glucocorticoid treatment.

Objectives: Patients receiving glucocorticoid treatment are prone to develop metabolic complications. In preclinical studies, metformin prevented the development of the metabolic syndrome during glucocorticoid excess. We herein investigated the metabolic effect of metformin during glucocorticoid treatment in non-diabetic patients.

Evaluation of copeptin and commonly used laboratory parameters for the differential diagnosis of profound hyponatraemia in hospitalized patients: 'The Co-MED Study'.

Objective: Hyponatraemia is common and its differential diagnosis is challenging. Commonly used diagnostic algorithms have limited diagnostic accuracy. Copeptin, the c-terminal portion of the precursor peptide of arginine vasopressin might help in the differential diagnosis of hyponatraemia.

Long-term outcome of profound hyponatremia: a prospective 12 months follow-up study.

Background: Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte abnormality in hospitalized patients and given its impact on mortality and morbidity, a relevant medical condition. Nevertheless, little is known about factors influencing long-term outcome.

Methods: This is a prospective observational 12-month follow-up study of patients with profound hyponatremia (≤125 mmol/L) admitted to the emergency department of two tertiary care centers between 2011 and 2013.

Nutritional Support and Outcomes in Malnourished Medical Inpatients: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Importance: During acute illness, nutritional therapy is widely used for medical inpatients with malnutrition or at risk for malnutrition. Yet, to our knowledge, no comprehensive trial has demonstrated that this approach is effective and beneficial for patients.

Objective: To assess the effects of nutritional support on outcomes of medical inpatients with malnutrition or at risk for malnutrition in a systematic review of randomized clinical trials (RCTs).

Association of nutritional risk and adverse medical outcomes across different medical inpatient populations.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of nutritional risk and its association with multiple adverse clinical outcomes in a large cohort of acutely ill medical inpatients from a Swiss tertiary care hospital.

Methods: We prospectively followed consecutive adult medical inpatients for 30 d. Multivariate regression models were used to investigate the association of the initial Nutritional Risk Score (NRS 2002) with mortality, impairment in activities of daily living (Barthel Index <95 points), hospital length of stay, hospital readmission rates, and quality of life (QoL; adapted from EQ5 D); all parameters were measured at 30 d.

Postoperative Copeptin Concentration Predicts Diabetes Insipidus After Pituitary Surgery.

Context: Copeptin is a stable surrogate marker of vasopressin release; the peptides are stoichiometrically secreted from the neurohypophysis due to elevated plasma osmolality or nonosmotic stress. We hypothesized that following stress from pituitary surgery, patients with neurohypophyseal damage and eventual diabetes insipidus (DI) would not exhibit the expected pronounced copeptin elevation.

Objective: The objective was to evaluate copeptin's accuracy to predict DI following pituitary surgery.

Symptoms and characteristics of individuals with profound hyponatremia: a prospective multicenter observational study.

Objectives: To assess symptoms and characteristics of hyponatremia, the most common electrolyte disturbance in hospitalized individuals and a condition that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality.

Design: Prospective observational multicenter study.

Setting: Two Swiss academic centers.

Loss of appetite in acutely ill medical inpatients: physiological response or therapeutic target?

Loss of appetite and ensuing weight loss is a key feature of severe illnesses. Protein-energy malnutrition (PEM) contributes significantly to the adverse outcome of these conditions. Pharmacological interventions to target appetite stimulation have little efficacy but considerable side effects.