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Biomedical subjects

R O Brown

Publications and source records attributed to R O Brown.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

Pharmacologic influence on nutrition support therapy: use of propofol in a patient receiving combined enteral and parenteral nutrition support.

Propofol is a lipid-based sedative that provides 1.1 kcal/mL. Because propofol has rapid onset and quick recovery, it is becoming used widely in critical care units. A 15-year-old critically ill pregnant patient received specialized nutrition support concomitantly with propofol infusion for sedation. A serum triglyceride concentration obtained on day 6 of the propofol infusion was 1100 mg/dL with no previous history of hyperlipidemia. Caloric intakes from propofol averaged 1275 kcal/d (range 445 to 2354 kcal/d) over a 5-day period. Infusion of propofol or any other lipid-based drug must be monitored closely when given in conjunction with enteral or parenteral nutrition to avoid the pitfalls of overfeeding and hypertriglyceridemia. Enteral and parenteral formulas must be manipulated to provide optimal nutrient intakes while not overfeeding with fat when using increased amounts of lipid-based drugs.

Adolescent↗

Treatment of hypophosphatemia in patients receiving specialized nutrition support using a graduated dosing scheme: results from a prospective clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the safety and efficacy of a graduated dosing scheme of phosphorus replacement therapy in patients with hypophosphatemia receiving specialized nutrition support. DESIGN: Prospective clinical trial. SETTING: A 455-bed tertiary care institution, with Level I trauma designation. PATIENTS: Seventy-eight adult patients, followed and co-managed by a multidisciplinary Nutrition Support Service, with a serum phosphorus concentration of < 3 mg/dL (< 0.97 mmol/L) and no evidence of renal insufficiency, calcium or parathyroid disorders, or obesity. INTERVENTIONS: Patients were enrolled into one of three categories based on their serum phosphorus concentration: mild hypophosphatemia (2.3 to 3 mg/dL [0.74 to 0.97 mmol/L]), moderate hypophosphatemia (1.6 to 2.2 mg/dL [0.52 to 0.71 mmol/L]), or severe hypophosphatemia (< 1.5 mg/dL [< 0.48 mmol/L]). Each patient received one intravenous phosphorus bolus dose, based on the assigned category of hypophosphatemia, according to a graduated dosing scheme: 0.16 mM/kg (mild), 0.32 mM/kg (moderate), or 0.64 mM/kg (severe). Serum/blood concentrations of phosphorus, calcium, albumin, magnesium, urea nitrogen, and creatinine were measured for three consecutive days. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Sixty-seven patients completed the protocol. There were 31 patients with mild hypophosphatemia, 22 patients with moderate hypophosphatemia, and 14 patients with severe hypophosphatemia. Serum phosphorus concentrations increased significantly (p < .001) in all groups after the phosphorus bolus: 2.6 +/- 0.6 to 3.3 +/- 0.6 mg/dL (0.84 +/- 0.19 to 1.1 +/- 0.19 mmol/L) for the mild group; 1.9 +/- 0.6 to 2.7 +/- 0.6 mg/dL (0.61 +/- 0.19 to 0.87 +/- 0.19 mmol/L) for the moderate group; 1.3 +/- 0.8 to 2.3 +/- 0.8 mg/dL (0.42 +/- 0.26 to 0.74 +/- 0.26 mmol/L) for the severe group. There were no clinically significant changes in serum/blood calcium, albumin, urea nitrogen, or creatinine concentrations and no adverse reactions to the phosphorus regimens throughout the 3-day study period. CONCLUSION: The graduated dosing scheme of phosphorus replacement therapy is both safe and efficacious in patients receiving specialized nutrition support.

Adult↗

Integrating postgraduate pharmacy training programs into colleges of pharmacy.

An important issue facing colleges of pharmacy is the integration of postgraduate clinical training programs into the mainstream of pharmacy education. Colleges of pharmacy have a major role to play in postgraduate clinical training programs to the benefit of the college, resident, and institution. Students must be provided with information about residencies during their first year, and this information must be continually reinforced throughout their academic career. Residency and fellowship programs contribute significantly to the education of pharmacy students. Colleges must take an active role, working in partnership with institutions to enhance postgraduate pharmacy training programs.

Career Choice↗

Clinical benefits of an immune-enhancing diet for early postinjury enteral feeding.

In this multicenter prospective controlled trial, 98 evaluable patients sustaining major torso trauma were randomized to receive early enteral nutrition with a new "immune-enhancing" diet (study: n = 51) or a standard stress enteral formula (control: n = 47). At baseline, both groups had comparable demographics and Injury Severity Scores. After 7 days of feeding, the groups had equivalent increases in serum total protein, albumin, and transferrin concentrations. Patients receiving the "immune-enhancing" diet, however, experienced significantly greater increases in total lymphocyte (p = 0.014), T lymphocyte (p = 0.04), and T-helper (p = 0.004) cell numbers. Additionally, these patients had significantly fewer intraabdominal abscesses (study, 0% vs. control, 11%; p = 0.023) and significantly less multiple organ failure (study, 0% vs. control, 11%; p = 0.023). In conclusion, this multicenter trial suggests this "immune-enhancing" enteral diet offers clinical benefits in stressed surgical patients.

Abdominal Injuries↗

Fiber-containing formula and needle catheter jejunostomies: a clinical evaluation.

Despite the high frequency of diarrhea, chemically defined diets have traditionally been used with needle catheter jejunostomies, a common form of postpyloric enteral access, to avoid tube occlusion. We reviewed our experience with 57 patients fed a fiber-containing diet to determine the incidence of catheter occlusion and diarrhea. Eight catheters temporarily occluded but were reopened and remained patent for an additional 6.3 +/- 3.1 days for an overall success rate of 91% (52 of 57). The five remaining occluded catheters were removed after 6.2 +/- 1.8 days. Four of the five patients with occluded catheters tolerated gastric feedings, but one required a permanent jejunostomy. Diarrhea occurred in six (10.5%) of the 57 patients given the fiber-containing formula. We concluded that a fiber-containing formula can be administered through needle catheter jejunostomies if the catheter is irrigated daily and if no medications are given via the catheter. A fiber-containing formula may reduce the incidence of diarrhea in jejunostomy-fed patients compared with patients fed chemically defined diets.

Adult↗

Observations of hypophosphatemia and its management in nutrition support.

Severe hypophosphatemia is associated with significant morbidity in hospitalized patients. Specialized nutrition support is an important factor that contributes to the development of this metabolic disorder. Current treatment regimens for hypophosphatemia are empiric and often fail to normalize serum phosphorus concentrations in these patients. Patients who develop hypophosphatemia during the administration of specialized nutrition support exhibit increased phosphorus demands and require aggressive replacement therapy.

Clinical Protocols↗

Visceral protein response to enteral versus parenteral nutrition and sepsis in patients with trauma.

BACKGROUND: Sepsis and the route of nutrient administration are clearly related to visceral protein levels; however, the mechanisms and amount of influence are not completely defined. METHODS: Constitutive and acute-phase protein levels were measured on days 1, 4, 7, and 10 in 68 severely injured patients with abdominal trauma indexes of 15 or more randomized to enteral or parenteral feeding. Groups were matched for age, abdominal trauma index, injury severity score, and length of stay. RESULTS: Significantly higher levels of constitutive proteins and lower levels of acute-phase proteins were found in patients randomized to enteral feeding. Although some "hepatic protein reprioritization" appeared to be caused by nutrient route, this appeared only in the less severely injured patients. A more important factor in visceral protein levels is a reduction in septic morbidity associated with enteral feeding. CONCLUSIONS: Enteral feeding produces greater increase in constitutive proteins and greater decreases in acute-phase proteins after severe trauma primarily caused by reduced septic morbidity with enteral feeding.

Abdominal Injuries↗

Effect of route of nutrition on recovery of hepatic organic anion clearance after fasting.

BACKGROUND: Previous work documented a 40% depression of hepatic indocyanine green (ICG) clearance (ClICG) in pigs fasted to 20% weight loss, with return to normal within 12 days of food refeeding. ClICG in pigs is insensitive to changes in hepatic blood flow but very sensitive to changes in hepatic function (HF). Serial ClICG determinations were performed to quantify the effect of route of nutrient delivery on recovery of HF. METHODS: Fourteen pigs were fasted to 20% weight loss (12.8 days average) with both gastrostomy and intravenous catheters placed in each animal midway through the fast. ClICG was measured before fast, after fast, and after 12 days refeeding through the enteral or parenteral route at 125 kcal/kg/day with isonitrogenous, isocaloric diets containing 9% fat. Urine and stool were analyzed for total nitrogen. RESULTS: No significant differences appeared between groups in nitrogen output during fasting (4.5 +/- 1.2 gm/kg enteral, 4.6 +/- 1.2 gm/kg parenteral), in nitrogen intake (800 +/- 19 mg/kg/day enteral, 810 +/- 10 mg/kg/day parenteral), or in before or after fast ClICG, but enteral feeding produced more positive nitrogen balance. ClICG improved significantly with enteral but not with parenteral feeding. CONCLUSIONS: Enteral feeding produces faster nitrogen accrual and reverses the depression of major pathways of bilirubin and organic anion excretion associated with malnutrition. Parenteral feeding failed to improve organic anion clearance despite weight gain.

Analysis of Variance↗

Specialized nutritional support in respiratory disease.

Nutritional status in patients with respiratory disease is discussed and nutritional support and pharmacotherapy considerations in these patients are reviewed. Undernutrition is common among patients with respiratory disease and can lead to decreased respiratory muscle mass and ventilatory drive. Both overfeeding and underfeeding can adversely affect patient outcome. Specialized nutrition-support regimens for patients with respiratory disease should include carbohydrate doses below the maximal oxidative rates for glucose and fat emulsion as a daily continuous infusion. Early enteral feeding may be beneficial. Respiratory quotient, oxygen consumption, and carbon dioxide production are useful measurements in providing optimal nutrition support. Pharmacotherapeutic measures, such as gastrointestinal-tract decontamination and growth-hormone administration, are being investigated in these patients as adjunctive therapy. Nutrition-support regimens for patients with respiratory disease should be carefully designed and monitored to avoid further compromising respiratory function and to reduce the risk of infection.

Enteral Nutrition↗

Enteral versus parenteral feeding. Effects on septic morbidity after blunt and penetrating abdominal trauma.

To investigate the importance of route of nutrient administration on septic complications after blunt and penetrating trauma, 98 patients with an abdominal trauma index of at least 15 were randomized to either enteral or parenteral feeding within 24 hours of injury. Septic morbidity was defined as pneumonia, intra-abdominal abscess, empyema, line sepsis, or fasciitis with wound dehiscence. Patients were fed formulas with almost identical amounts of fat, carbohydrate, and protein. Two patients died early in the study. The enteral group sustained significantly fewer pneumonias (11.8% versus total parenteral nutrition 31.%, p less than 0.02), intra-abdominal abscess (1.9% versus total parenteral nutrition 13.3%, p less than 0.04), and line sepsis (1.9% versus total parenteral nutrition 13.3%, p less than 0.04), and sustained significantly fewer infections per patient (p less than 0.03), as well as significantly fewer infections per infected patient (p less than 0.05). Although there were no differences in infection rates in patients with injury severity score less than 20 or abdominal trauma index less than or equal to 24, there were significantly fewer infections in patients with an injury severity score greater than 20 (p less than 0.002) and abdominal trauma index greater than 24 (p less than 0.005). Enteral feeding produced significantly fewer infections in the penetrating group (p less than 0.05) and barely missed the statistical significance in the blunt-injured patients (p = 0.08). In the subpopulation of patients requiring more than 20 units of blood, sustaining an abdominal trauma index greater than 40 or requiring reoperation within 72 hours, there were significantly fewer infections per patient (p = 0.03) and significantly fewer infections per infected patient (p less than 0.01). There is a significantly lower incidence of septic morbidity in patients fed enterally after blunt and penetrating trauma, with most of the significant changes occurring in the more severely injured patients. The authors recommend that the surgeon obtain enteral access at the time of initial celiotomy to assure an opportunity for enteral delivery of nutrients, particularly in the most severely injured patients.

Abdominal Injuries↗

Effect of hypoalbuminemia and parenteral nutrition on free water excretion and electrolyte-free water resorption.

OBJECTIVE: To measure the effect of human albumin supplementation during parenteral nutrition on serum albumin concentrations, colloid oncotic pressure, free water clearance, electrolyte-free water resorption, and sodium excretion. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, controlled trial. SETTING: Tertiary care center. PATIENTS: Thirty adult, hypoalbuminemic patients who required parenteral nutrition. INTERVENTIONS: Parenteral nutrition (control) or parenteral nutrition plus human albumin 25 g/L as a continuous infusion (treatment) for a 5-day study period. MEASUREMENTS: On days 1 and 5, serum albumin concentration, colloid oncotic pressure, free water clearance, electrolyte-free water resorption, and sodium excretion were measured. RESULTS: Serum albumin concentrations increased significantly from day 1 to day 5 in both groups (control: 2.0 +/- 0.1 [mean +/- SEM] vs. 2.3 +/- 0.1 g/dL [20 +/- 1 vs. 23 +/- 1 g/L], p = .02; treatment: 2.2 +/- 0.1 vs. 3.5 +/- 0.2 g/dL [22 +/- 1 vs. 35 +/- 2 g/L], p = .0001). Day 5 serum albumin concentrations were significantly higher in the treatment group compared with control (p = .0001). Colloid oncotic pressure increased significantly from day 1 to day 5 in the treatment group (17.8 +/- 0.8 vs. 25.1 +/- 1.0 mm Hg, p = .0001), and was significantly higher than control at day 5 (p = .0001). No significant differences were found for free water clearance, electrolyte-free water resorption, or sodium excretion within or between groups. CONCLUSIONS: In hypoalbuminemic patients, human albumin supplementation during parenteral nutrition results in significant increases in serum albumin concentrations and colloid oncotic pressure, but has no apparent effect on free water clearance, electrolyte-free water resorption, or sodium excretion.

Albumins↗

The prognostic inflammatory and nutritional index in traumatized patients receiving enteral nutrition support.

The prognostic inflammatory and nutritional index (PINI) is a clinical assessment tool which aggregates serum C-reactive protein (CRP), alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (AAG), prealbumin (PA), and albumin (ALB) concentrations into a single score. This study was conducted to characterize the index and its determinants over time in 15 critically ill trauma patients receiving enteral nutritional support (ENS). Patients received 1.4 g of protein/kg/day and 32 kcal/kg/day for at least 7 days using a nutritionally complete formula supplemented with whey protein. The PINI was calculated at baseline and on days 4, 7, 10, 14, 21, and 28. The PINI decreased significantly from baseline (186 +/- 202) to day 4 (116 +/- 86) and reached a nadir at day 14 (27 +/- 40). Serum CRP concentrations decreased significantly during the study period, while PA and ALB concentrations increased significantly. There was no change in the AAG concentration. Nitrogen balance increased significantly during the study period. The PINI was positively correlated with CRP concentration (r = 0.72, p = 0.0001) and negatively correlated with PA concentration (r = 0.56, p = 0.0004 and nitrogen balance (r = -0.51, p = 0.0018). The PINI decreased significantly during ENS of critically ill trauma patients, influenced primarily by a decrease in CRP concentration. Further studies are needed to characterize the PINI's performance as a prognostic tool.

Adolescent↗

Pharmacist interventions improve fluid balance in fluid-restricted patients requiring parenteral nutrition.

Many intensive care unit (ICU) patients require parenteral nutrition (PN) and fluid restriction, making delivery of adequate nutrition difficult. We studied the effects of pharmacist interventions on fluid balance in fluid-restricted ICU patients requiring PN. Twenty patients were randomized to the treatment group (dextrose 70% injection [D70W] plus 15% amino acids for PN, 25-mL piggybacks, selected drugs added to the PN solution) or the control group (D70W plus 10% amino acids, 50- or 100-mL piggybacks). Each group contained 10 patients and they were not significantly different for age, gender, weight, hospital days, and serum albumin concentration. The duration (9.3 +/- 1.2 vs. 9.7 +/- 2.4 d) and doses of PN (29 +/- 6.8 vs. 28.7 +/- 6.9 kcal/kg/d; 1.1 +/- 0.3 vs. 1.1 +/- 0.4 g/kg/d protein) were similar between treatment and control groups. Mean fluid intake (3112 +/- 1146 vs. 3498 +/- 1111 mL/d), fluid balance (146 +/- 1581 vs. 708 +/- 1402 mL/d), and cumulative fluid balance (1358 vs. 6867 mL) were all significantly lower in the treatment group. Mean fluid output was similar between the two groups. Pharmacist interventions can significantly decrease intake and result in a better fluid balance in fluid-restricted ICU patients who require PN.

Adult↗

Toxicities of parenteral nutrition in the critically ill patient.

Critically ill patients have unique nutritional substrate requirements. Although important advances have been made in understanding these requirements in the face of pathophysiologic and biochemical alterations induced by stress or trauma, nutrition-associated toxicities still occur. The importance of these toxicities to the critically ill patients cannot be over-stated. Many of these toxicities can be avoided by conservative use of selected nutrition substrates in specific subsets of the critically ill population. Practitioners must continue to anticipate and recognize parenteral nutrition-associated toxicities, however, as well as delineate any toxicity from the progression or exacerbation of disease.

Catheters, Indwelling↗

The efficacy of nutrition support in infected patients with chronic renal failure.

Patients with chronic renal failure are at considerable nutritional risk due to restricted diets, poor intake, and dialysis-related protein losses; therefore, they often require specialized nutrition support. It is difficult, however, to gauge the success of the intervention, since the gold standard nitrogen balance cannot be easily employed. We examined the usefulness of three visceral proteins, insulinlike growth factor 1 (IGF-1), fibronectin (FBN), and prealbumin (PA), as markers of nutrition support efficacy in patients with chronic renal failure. Fourteen patients receiving enteral (1) or parenteral (13) nutrition were studied for 7-28 days. The six males and eight females attained intakes of protein and nonprotein energy of 1.3 +/- 0.3 (mean +/- SD) g/kg/day and 34 +/- 6 kcal/kg/day, respectively. Blood samples taken on days 1, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 were assayed for IGF-1, FBN, and PA concentrations. Protein levels were correlated with cumulative nonprotein energy and protein intake. Concentrations of IGF-1 at baseline (0.90 +/- 0.48 U/ml) rose significantly by day 4 (1.35 +/- 0.78 U/ml) and remained significantly above baseline at days 7 (1.44 +/- 0.68 U/ml), 14 (1.63 +/- 1.05 U/ml), and 28 (1.59 +/- 0.98 U/ml). Baseline FBN (113 +/- 53 micrograms/ml) and PA (15.3 +/- 7.8 mg/dl) concentrations rose significantly by day 28 (FBN, 163 +/- 51 micrograms/ml; PA, 24.6 +/- 19.0 mg/dl). The PA concentrations correlated significantly with cumulative nonprotein calories and cumulative protein intake (r = 0.37, p less than 0.01; r = 0.43, p less than 0.01, respectively). Both IGF-1 and PA show promise as markers of nutrition support efficacy in this complex patient population.

Adult↗

Comparison of modified amino acids and standard amino acids in parenteral nutrition support of thermally injured patients.

Twenty thermally injured patients who could not tolerate enteral nutrition support were randomized to receive parenteral nutrition (PN) with either modified amino acids (MAA) or standard amino acids (SAA). There was no significant difference between groups for age, sex, weight, percent BSA area burn, percent third-degree burn, or operative procedures. N balance (NB) was measured and serum was harvested for circulating fibronectin (Fn), somatomedin-C/insulin-like growth Factor I (Sm-C), prealbumin (PA), and retinol-binding protein (RBP) analysis on days 1, 4, 7, 14, 21, and 28 of PN. The patient groups received similar doses of PN for a similar number of days. Fn did not change significantly from baseline in either group and there was no significant difference between groups. Sm-C increased significantly from baseline at day 7 in the SAA group and in both groups on day 14, but there was no significant difference between groups. PA and RBP increased significantly from baseline on day 7 in the MAA group and in both groups on days 14, 21, and 28. RBP was significantly higher in the MAA group only on day 21, and there was no significant difference between groups for PA. NB increased significantly from baseline for all study days; however, there was no significant difference between groups. PN in thermally injured patients significantly improves NB and increases visceral protein concentrations. However, there appears to be no difference between PN with MAA or SAA.

Adolescent↗