Association of phenylalanine and tyrosine metabolism with mortality and response to nutritional support among patients at nutritional risk: a secondary analysis of the randomized clinical trial EFFORT.

Background: Elevated phenylalanine serum level is a surrogate marker of whole-body proteolysis and has been associated with increased mortality in critically ill patients. Tyrosine is a metabolite of phenylalanine and serves as a precursor of thyroid hormones and catecholamines with important functions in the oxidative stress response among others. Herein, we examined the prognostic significance of phenylalanine, tyrosine, as well as its metabolites nitrotyrosine, L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA), and dopamine regarding clinical outcomes and response to nutritional therapy in patients at nutritional risk.

Sex differences in clinical presentation, treatment response, and side effects of nutritional therapy among patients at nutritional risk: a secondary analysis of the randomized clinical trial EFFORT.

Background: Considering sex-specific factors has become an increasingly recognized area for research and practice, in the field of clinical nutrition, there is insufficient evidence regarding differences in clinical presentation, treatment response, and side effects of nutritional therapy among female and male patients.

Objectives: We hypothesized that the clinical presentation, response to nutritional therapy, and side effects from the intervention would differ in the two sexes.

Methods: This secondary analysis investigated differences among female and male patients at risk for malnutrition regarding initial presentation, clinical outcomes, and treatment response in patients included in the Effect of Early Nutritional Support on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of Malnourished Medical Inpatients Trial (EFFORT), a randomized controlled trial comparing individualized nutritional support to usual care.

Association of leucine and other branched chain amino acids with clinical outcomes in malnourished inpatients: a secondary analysis of the randomized clinical trial EFFORT.

Background: The essential branched-chain amino acids leucine, isoleucine and valine are considered anabolic and stimulate protein synthesis in the muscles as well in the liver. They also promote muscle recovery and contribute to glucose homeostasis. Recent studies in critically ill patients have demonstrated that depletion of plasma leucine is associated with increased mortality, but data in the non-critical care setting is lacking.

The Association of the Essential Amino Acids Lysine, Methionine, and Threonine with Clinical Outcomes in Patients at Nutritional Risk: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

Lysine, methionine, and threonine are essential amino acids with vital functions for muscle and connective tissue health, metabolic balance, and the immune system. During illness, the demand for these amino acids typically increases, which puts patients at risk for deficiencies with harmful clinical consequences. In a secondary analysis of the Effect of Early Nutritional Support on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of Malnourished Medical Inpatients Trial (EFFORT), which compared individualized nutritional support to usual care nutrition in patients at nutritional risk, we investigated the prognostic impact of the lysine, methionine, and threonine metabolism.

Muscle matters: Prognostic implications of malnutrition and muscle health parameters in patients with cancer. A secondary analysis of a randomised trial.

Background: Low muscle mass and malnutrition are independently associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes in patients with cancer. However, it is not yet clear which parameter is most indicative of these risks. This study investigates the prognostic significance of different parameters reflecting malnutrition and muscle health in a well-characterised oncology population at nutritional risk.

Nutritional support in hospitalised patients with diabetes and risk for malnutrition: a secondary analysis of an investigator-initiated, Swiss, randomised controlled multicentre trial.

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of nutritional support on mortality in hospitalised patients with diabetes and nutritional risk participating in the (EFFORT) trial.

Design: Secondary analysis of a Swiss-wide multicentre, randomised controlled trial.

Participants: Patients with diabetes and risk for malnutrition.

Nutrition for the older adult - Current concepts. Report from an ESPEN symposium.

Background & Aims: In view of the global demographic shift, a scientific symposium was organised by the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) to address nutrition-related challenges of the older population and provide an overview of the current state of knowledge.

Methods: Eighteen nutrition-related issues of the ageing global society were presented by international experts during the symposium and summarised in this report.

Results: Anorexia of ageing, dysphagia, malnutrition, frailty, sarcopenia, sarcopenic obesity, and the metabolic syndrome were highlighted as major nutrition-related geriatric syndromes.

Association of tryptophan pathway metabolites with mortality and effectiveness of nutritional support among patients at nutritional risk: secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

Tryptophan is an essential amino acid and is the precursor of many important metabolites and neurotransmitters. In malnutrition, the availability of tryptophan is reduced, potentially putting patients at increased risks. Herein, we investigated the prognostic implications of the tryptophan metabolism in a secondary analysis of the Effect of Early Nutritional Support on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of Malnourished Medical Inpatients Trial (EFFORT), a randomized, controlled trial comparing individualized nutritional support to usual care in patients at risk for malnutrition.

ESPEN practical guideline: Nutritional support for polymorbid medical inpatients.

Background: Disease-related malnutrition in polymorbid medical inpatients is a highly prevalent syndrome associated with significantly increased morbidity, disability, short- and long-term mortality, impaired recovery from illness, and healthcare costs.

Aim: As there are uncertainties in applying disease-specific guidelines to patients with multiple conditions, our aim was to provide evidence-based recommendations on nutritional support for the polymorbid patient population hospitalized in medical wards.

Methods: The 2023 update adheres to the standard operating procedures for ESPEN guidelines.

Prognostic implications of the arginine metabolism in patients at nutritional risk: A secondary analysis of the randomized EFFORT trial.

Background: Arginine, a conditionally essential amino acid, is key component in metabolic pathways including immune regulation and protein synthesis. Depletion of arginine contributes to worse outcomes in severely ill and surgical patient populations. We assessed prognostic implications of arginine levels and its metabolites and ratios in polymorbid medical inpatients at nutritional risk regarding clinical outcomes and treatment response.

Adaptation of nutritional risk screening tools may better predict response to nutritional treatment: a secondary analysis of the randomized controlled trial Effect of early nutritional therapy on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of malnourished medical inpatients Trial (EFFORT).

Background: Nutritional screening tools have proven valuable for predicting clinical outcomes but have failed to determine which patients would be most likely to benefit from nourishment interventions. The Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS) and the Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) are 2 of these tools, which are based on both nutritional parameters and parameters reflecting disease severity.

Objectives: We hypothesized that the adaptation of nutritional risk scores, by removing parameters reflecting disease severity, would improve their predictive value regarding response to a nutritional intervention while providing similar prognostic information regarding mortality at short and long terms.

Association of Glutamine and Glutamate Metabolism with Mortality among Patients at Nutritional Risk-A Secondary Analysis of the Randomized Clinical Trial EFFORT.

Glutamine and its metabolite glutamate serve as the main energy substrates for immune cells, and their plasma levels drop during severe illness. Therefore, glutamine supplementation in the critical care setting has been advocated. However, little is known about glutamine metabolism in severely but not critically ill medical patients.

Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) - A new nutritional biomarker to assess nutritional risk and response to nutritional therapy?

Background & Aims: Red cell distribution width (RDW) has been proposed as a surrogate marker for acute and chronic diseases and may be influenced by nutritional deficits. We assessed the prognostic value of RDW regarding clinical outcomes and nutritional treatment response among medical inpatients at nutritional risk.

Methods: This is a secondary analysis of EFFORT, a randomized, controlled, prospective, multicenter trial investigating the effects of nutritional support in patients at nutritional risk in eight Swiss hospitals.

Inflammation and response to nutrition interventions.

The complex interplay between nutrition and inflammation has become a major focus of research in recent years across different clinical settings and patient populations. Inflammation has been identified as a key driver for disease-related malnutrition promoting anorexia, reduced food intake, muscle loss, and on a cellular level, insulin resistance, which together stimulate catabolism. However, these effects may well be bidirectional, and there is strong evidence showing that nutrition influences inflammation.

Association of admission cortisol levels with outcomes and treatment response in patients at nutritional risk : A secondary analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

Introduction: Cortisol is a metabolically active stress hormone that may play a role in the pathogenesis of malnutrition. We studied the association between admission cortisol levels and nutritional parameters, disease severity, and response to nutritional support among medical inpatients at nutritional risk.

Methods: Admission cortisol was measured in a subset of 764 patients participating in the Effect of Early Nutritional Support on Frailty, Functional Outcomes, and Recovery of Malnourished Medical Inpatients Trial (EFFORT), a multicentre, randomized-controlled trial that compared individualized nutritional support with usual nutritional care.

ESPEN guideline on nutritional support for polymorbid medical inpatients.

Background: Disease-related malnutrition in polymorbid medical inpatients is a highly prevalent syndrome associated with significantly increased morbidity, disability, short- and long-term mortality, impaired recovery from illness, and cost of care.

Aim: As there are uncertainties in applying disease-specific guidelines to patients with multiple conditions, our aim was to provide evidence-based recommendations on nutritional support for the polymorbid patient population hospitalized in medical wards.

Methods: This update adheres to the standard operating procedures for ESPEN guidelines.

Changes in serum albumin concentrations over 7 days in medical inpatients with and without nutritional support. A secondary post-hoc analysis of a randomized clinical trial.

Background: Serum albumin concentrations are frequently used to monitor nutritional therapy in the hospital setting but supporting studies are largely lacking. Within this secondary analysis of a randomized nutritional trial (EFFORT), we assessed whether nutritional support affects short-term changes in serum albumin concentrations and whether an increase in albumin concentration has prognostic implications regarding clinical outcome and response to treatment.

Methods: We analyzed patients with available serum albumin concentrations at baseline and day 7 included in EFFORT, a Swiss-wide multicenter randomized clinical trial that compared individualized nutritional therapy with usual hospital food (control group).