Nutrition Assessment - Evidence Update
August 2011
Welcome to the August Nutritional Assessment Bulletin produced by HEFT Library Services. This
bulletin is produced to support the VITAL for nurses core skills programme developed in the Trust. This
issue features articles published in the past four weeks.
Organisation
CINV in the UK: a prospective audit of patient
experience.
British Journal of Nursing, May; 20(10) S.29-31
This is a prospective audit of cancer patients to assess patient experience of Chemotherapy induced nausea and
vomiting. The proposal is that this audit will provide evidence of how NHS and private oncology teams manage
CINV within the UK. Available in fulltext at EBSCO Host
Effectiveness of multidisciplinary nutritional care -
patients with hip fractures
Clinical Nutrition. August; 30(4) p455-61
Effectiveness of multidisciplinary ntritional care on nutritional intake, nutritional status and quality of life in patients
with hip fractures; A controlled prospective cohort study.
This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary intervention programme on nutritional
intake, nutritional status and quality of life in older patients treated for a hip fracture. After three months there
were fewer malnourished patients in the intervention group, and the decline in quality of life was lower than in
the control group.
Screening
Nutritional status, hospitalization and mortality among
patients with sickle cell anemia in Tanzania.
Haematologica. July; 96(7) p.948-53
The objective was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and whether poor nutritional status predicted
morbidity and mortality within an urban cohort of Tanzanian sickle cell anaemia patients.
Available in fulltext at Highwire Press
Recognition
Predictors for achieving protein and energy
requirements in undernourished hospital patients.
Clinical Nutrition. August; 30(4) p.484-9
This study aimed to investigate predictors for achieving protein and energy requirements on the fourth day
of admission in undernourished hospitalised patients.Predictors for achieving protein and energy intake were
identified as nausea, cancer, acute infections, BMI, age, chronic lung disease and tube feeding.
Intervention
Cost-effectiveness of a 3-month intervention with oral
nutritional supplements in disease-related malnutrition
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition. June; 65(6) p.735-42
Cost-effectiveness of a 3-month intervention with oral nutritional supplements in disease-related malnutrition: a
randomised controlled pilot study.
This study investigates whether supplementation with oral nutritional supplements ONS is cost-effective to
increase quality of life in malnourished patients.
Early versus traditional postoperative feeding in
patients undergoing resectional gastrointestinal
surgery: a meta-analysis.
Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. July; 35(4) p.473-487
This paper provides a meta-analysis of evidence evaluating surgical outcomes following nutritional provision
within 24 hours of gastrointestinal surgery compared with traditional postoperative management. The results
show that early postoperative nutrition is associated with significant reductions in total complications compared
with traditional postoperative feeding practices.
Effectiveness of oral nutritional supplementation for
older women after a fracture.
BMC Geriatrics. June 11(32)
Effectiveness of oral nutritional supplementation for older women after a fracture: rationale, design and study of
the feasibility of a randomized controlled study.
This pilot study looks at administration of oral supplements to older people with recent fractures in a hospital
setting. No firm conclusions were drawn.
Nutritional intervention for improving treatment
tolerance in cancer patients
Current Opinion in Oncology. July; 23(4) p.322-330
This is a study aiming to assess different nutritional interventions for improving treatment tolerance in patients
with malnutrition related to the cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Have No Impact on Serum Lactate
Levels After Major Gastric Cancer Surgery.
Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. July; 35(4) p488-492
This study was undertaken to address the effect of postoperative administration of omega-3 fatty acids on cellular
hypoperfusion associated with major gastric surgery. No significant conclusions were drawn from the results.
Symptoms associated with dietary fiber
supplementation over time in individuals with fecal
incontinence.
Nursing Research. June; 60(3 Suppl) p.S58-67
There isn't much knowledge about adverse symptoms from fiber supplementation available. Patients with fecal
incontinence experience a variety of GI symptoms over a period of time. The symptom severity and emotional
upset appear to influence fiber tolerance. Supplements seem overall to be well tolerated.
Nursing Role
Dehydration: why is it still a problem?
Nursing Times. 2011; 107(22) p.12-5
Prevention strategies, including drinking aids, fluid intake monitoring and improved bedside care, are discussed
in this article. Reports from organisations such as the Care Quality Commission have identified many hospital
patients, particularly older people, are suffering from dehydration.The article examines factors that affect the
assessment and identification of dehydration, and its prevention. It offers strategies to help nurses to ensure
patients receive adequate hydration. Available in fulltext at ProQuest (Legacy Platform)
Knowledge, attitudes and practices in the provision of
nutritional care.
British Journal of Nursing. June; 20(10) p.615-20
This paper gives an introduction to nutrition, an overview of nutritional guidelines and screening tools which
identify those at risk of malnutrition. It reviews the literature on nurses' knowledge, attitudes and practices and
how well they address the provision of adequate patient nutrition. Available in fulltext at EBSCO Host
Further Information
Multiple sources – websites, journals and healthcare databases – have been searched for evidence published
in the last four weeks. For further information please contact [email protected] ext 45195
(Solihull Hospital)
Please login with your Athens ID on www.evidence.nhs.uk ‘before’ clicking on any of the journal full text links
in this bulletin for seamless access.
To request articles where there is no full text link, please complete an online article request form available on
HEFT Library website www.heftlibrary.nhs.uk under ‘Electronic Forms’ menu.
Please note that there is now a charge of £1 for such requests. For more information on how to register for Athens,
access the Athens Registration leaflet via HEFT Library website www.heftlibrary.nhs.uk under the ‘Publications’
menu.