Nutrition
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Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the second most common hereditary genetic disease in humans and has elevated mortality. DMD is an X-linked, life-limiting progressive muscle-wasting disease found predominantly in boys and young men. One of the main treatments for patients with DMD is corticosteroids. ⋯ Our main hypothesis is that factors such as nutrition and sleep are related to obesity and OSA, respectively. In addition, the chronic use of corticosteroids, obesity, and OSA are factors that can reduce serum levels of vitamin D, triggering osteoporosis. Thus, these factors play a key role in affecting the quality of life for patients with DMD and intervention based on these aspects may improve survival.
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Although vitamin D deficiency can change liver injury progression in patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV), the main molecular mechanisms involved are largely unknown. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the association between oxidative stress and hypovitaminosis D in patients with HCV. The second aim was to verify whether oxidative stress is involved in the molecular mechanisms related to liver injury. ⋯ Vitamin D insufficiency contributes to the inflammatory process and oxidative stress imbalance in patients with HCV. The profile of oxidative stress markers in these patients depends on vitamin D levels, which probably change intracellular signalling pathways and increase inflammation and liver injury.
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The aims were to describe the body composition and the risk of malnutrition in a sample of nonagenarians and to identify what bioelectrical impedance vector analysis (BIVA) approach (classic or specific) is more correlated with either the risk of malnutrition or various anthropometric parameters. ⋯ Our study produced findings relevant to particular aspects of population aging. Above all, the specific BIVA was more effective at assessing nutritional status based on both anthropometric parameters and the risk of malnutrition.
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The aim of this study was to examine the association between serum zinc levels and several body composition factors in Korean adults. ⋯ Body zinc status might be associated with the quantity and distribution of body fat in Korean men. Additional sex-specific studies are needed to determine whether the relationship of body zinc status with abdominal obesity and total body fat affects metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases.
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The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of enteral nutrition (EN) for critically ill trauma patients with severe traumatic duodenal injuries who received placement of concurrent decompressing and feeding jejunostomies. ⋯ The majority of patients with severe duodenal injuries and concurrent decompressing/feeding tube jejunostomies failed initial EN therapy.