Nutrition
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Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an autosomal recessive inborn error of phenylalanine (phe) metabolism caused by a deficiency in the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase that converts phe into tyrosine. If left untreated, PKU results in increased phe concentrations in the blood and in the brain, which cause severe intellectual disability, epilepsy, and behavioral problems. These disorders can be prevented if a diet low in phe is introduced. ⋯ However, there are infrequent cases of transient hyperphenylalaninemia secondary to delayed maturation of the hydroxylation enzyme system. They are especially significant in premature infants. Although these forms have not been shown to cause sequelae, in view of high levels of phe in the blood, phe consumption must be restricted.
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Urinary hippuric acid (HA) and citrate can represent useful biomarkers of fruit and vegetable (FAV) intake in nephrolithiasis. However, their clinical significance across the life span has been poorly investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between the two biomarkers with FAV intake across different age groups and sexes in a large group of stone formers (SFs). ⋯ Both urinary citrate and HA were positively associated with FAV intake in SFs. However, unlike HA, citrate excretion was significantly influenced by the female sex and by older age.
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Since the early 1990s enteral nutrition (EN) has been considered the optimal route of feeding rather than parenteral nutrition (PN), which was considered harmful in critically ill patients with intense inflammation. The aim of this review was to summarize recent developments and progress in PN, which have changed the view on this feeding technique. PubMed and personal databases were searched for studies and reviews reporting historical development of PN, and for clinical trials conducted after 2010 investigating PN in critical illness, comparing it to EN or not. ⋯ A pragmatic and reasonable approach offers better options for the individual patient. Although PN is simpler to deliver than EN, its metabolic consequences are more complicated to handle. A combination of both techniques may be a more reasonable approach in the sickest patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy of perioperative immunonutrition in esophageal cancer patients undergoing esophagectomy.
Malnutrition is common in patients with esophageal cancer, resulting in increased postoperative complications and mortality. Although preoperative immunonutrition can significantly reduce the incidence of postoperative infectious complications, its effect in patietns with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of perioperative immunonutritional support on the postoperative course and long-term survival of this group of patients. ⋯ Perioperative immunonutrition may improve early postoperative nutritional status and reduce postoperative infectious complications in patients with esophageal cancer undergoing esophagectomy.
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Understanding the body composition (BC) of patients with Huntington's disease (HD) could help to delay disease progression and improve treatment efficacy. The aim of this study was to assess BC parameters, including bone mineral density (BMD), and to find new biomarkers that can be early indicators for weight loss in patients with HD. ⋯ Complete BC assessment can be crucial for preventive interventions and prognosis definition in patients with HD. New biomarkers such as BMD, LBM, and truncal fat can be early indicators of weight loss in patients with HD.