Evolution of the nutritional status of Chilean children from preschool to school age: anthropometric results according to the source of the data

Because the results of the nutritional status released by Chilean institutions which collect anthropometric data on their population under control, show different increments in the prevalence of obesity between preschoolers and children in 1st grade, we decided to verify the real magnitude of this increase. This study is based on a longitudinal investigation which began in 2006 and included 1100, three-year old children, which we evaluated when they were 4, 5 and 6 y. The nutritional status was determined according to BMI Z and WHO References 2006/2007. The information was also used to determine the concordance between the anthropometric data collected on first graders by teachers from public schools in 2009 (JUNAEB data set) and the same children assessed in parallel by INTA (INTA data set). The sample included 474, six-year olds. No differences were found between the average BMI Z and HAZ of the two data sets, and the degree of concordance between the BMI Z's was good (rho = 0.73), however there were differences in the nutritional status, since the prevalence of low weight was significantly greater when assessed with JUNAEB's data (9.5% vs. 3.6% ), while that for obesity was lower with INTA's data, 17.5% vs. 19.2% (not significantly different). At 4 and 5 y, obesity prevalence of the children was 13.3% and 15.7% respectively (INTA's data). Considering the observed nutritional trajectory, it is likely that the rise in obesity between 4 and 6 y of age, was 4 percentage points and not 6, as was determined with INTA's data.     

Correction to: Consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners by pre-schoolers of the food and environment Chilean cohort (FECHIC) before the implementation of the Chilean food labelling and advertising law

Nutritional treatment is one of the most important components of multidisciplinary anti-cancer therapy. Home enteral nutrition is considered as a safe procedure, however, it may be associated with the risk of side effects, such as nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and diarrhoea. It is uncertain whether diarrhoea is the result of the enteral formula administration or gut dysbiosis. One of the methods which may be used to alter the composition of gut microbiota is the administration of a probiotic strain. Lactobacillus plantarum 299v ingestion was found to diminish the adverse events of irritable bowel syndrome and Clostridium difficile infection - entities that share the symptoms with enteral nutrition side effects. Therefore, the primary aim of this study is to determine the effect of Lactobacillus plantarum 299v on prevention of weight loss of cancer patients receiving home enteral nutrition. The secondary aims are to evaluate the role of this probiotic strain in the improvement of nutritional status, enteral nutrition tolerance, and patients’ quality of life. Forty patients with cancer receiving home enteral nutrition will be enrolled in this clinical trial and randomized to receive one capsule of Lactobacillus plantarum 299v (Sanprobi IBS®) twice a day or placebo for 12 weeks in a double-blind manner. Laboratory tests (the level of albumin, total protein, transferrin, and total lymphocyte count), anthropometric parameters (body mass, the content of fat mass, muscle mass, and total body water), Nutritional Risk Screening (NRS 2002), enteral nutrition tolerance as well as quality of life will be measured. Measurements will be obtained at the baseline and after 4 and 12 weeks of treatment. The adverse events observed during administration of enteral nutrition have an negative impact on enteral formula tolerance and as a consequence patients’ quality of life. The previous studies have demonstrated that probiotics may reduce the gastrointestinal symptoms related to enteral nutrition. Thus, administration of Lactobacillus plantarum 299v may be effective in improvement of nutritional status, enteral nutrition tolerance, and quality of life of cancer patients receiving home enteral nutrition. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03940768 .     

Metabolic modulation of acute myocardial infarction. The ECLA (Estudios Cardiológicos Latinoamérica) Collaborative Group

BACKGROUND: Several trials have been performed in the past using glucose, insulin, and potassium infusion (GIK) for the treatment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Because of continuing uncertainty about the potential role of this therapeutic intervention, we conducted a randomized trial to evaluate the impact of a GIK solution during the first hours of AMI. METHODS AND RESULTS: Four hundred seven patients with suspected AMI admitted within 24 hours of symptoms onset were enrolled. In a ratio of 2:1, 268 patients were allocated to receive GIK (high- or low-dose) and 139 to receive control. Phlebitis and serum changes in the plasma concentration of glucose or potassium were observed more often with GIK. A trend toward a nonsignificant reduction in major and minor in-hospital events was observed in patients allocated to GIK. In 252 patients (61.9%) treated with reperfusion strategies, a statistically significant reduction in mortality (relative risk [RR] 0.34; 95% CI: 0.15 to 0.78; 2P=0.008) and a consistent trend toward fewer in-hospital events in the GIK group were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Our results confirm that a metabolic modulation strategy in the first hours of an AMI is feasible, applicable worldwide, and has mild side effects. The statistically significant mortality reduction in patients who underwent a reperfusion strategy might have important implications for the management of AMI patients. It is now essential to perform a large-scale trial to reliably determine the magnitude of benefit.