Jpen Parenter Enter
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To evaluate whether preoperative immunonutrition might lead to a savings in patient care. Data on resources consumed to treat postoperative complications are scanty, but morbidity costs continue to be a major burden for any health care system. A recent randomized clinical trial carried out in well-nourished patients with gastrointestinal cancer showed that a 5-day preoperative oral immunonutrition reduced postoperative morbidity compared with conventional treatment (no supplementation). ⋯ The costs of postoperative morbidity consumed a large amount of the DRG reimbursement rate. Preoperative immunonutrition was cost-effective in our series.
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Jpen Parenter Enter · Jan 2005
ReviewIs the use of specialized nutritional formulations a cost-effective strategy? A national database evaluation.
We apply currently published clinical outcomes data to length of stay and hospital cost to determine the potential economic benefit associated with the use of specialized nutritional formulations in elective surgical, trauma, and medical patients. Although the use of immune-modulating formulations has repeatedly shown favorable clinical outcomes, including decreased complications (both infectious and noninfectious), length of stay (both ICU and total days), and ventilator days, the cost-effectiveness of nutritional modulation of the immune response in a US-based population has not previously been explored. ⋯ This study demonstrates that specialized nutritional formulations are a cost-effective way for hospitals to improve clinical outcomes while reducing resource consumption and total cost. These benefits are observable in all patient types, all facility types, and all regions of the United States.
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Jpen Parenter Enter · Jan 2005
ReviewReducing costs and patient morbidity in the enterally fed intensive care unit patient.
Critically ill patients are at high risk for nosocomial infections and resultant organ dysfunction and death. These patients typically have protracted intensive care unit (ICU) courses and consume increasingly limited resources. Enteral nutrition with specific immune-modulating components has been previously shown to improve outcomes in select populations of patients, but results have been mixed in critically ill patients. Impact 1.5 (Novartis Nutrition, Minneapolis, MN) is a commercially available enteral formula containing ingredients known to improve several parameters of immune function. We hypothesized that administration of Impact 1.5 tube feedings would reduce the incidence of nosocomial infection and ICU resources in critically ill patients admitted to the ICU for severe trauma, burns, or sepsis insults. ⋯ ICU patients with significant illness severity experienced a decrease in the incidence of an important nosocomial infection that is commonly associated with increased use of ICU resources and length of stay. This decrease in patient morbidity led to substantial cost savings despite the small size of our study trial.
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Sepsis is a systemic response to an infection, with high morbidity and mortality rates. Metabolic changes during infection and sepsis could be related to changes in metabolism of the amino acid L-arginine. In sepsis, protein breakdown is increased, which is a key process to maintain arginine delivery because both endogenous de novo arginine production from citrulline and food intake are reduced. ⋯ NO synthase inhibition, however, increased mortality. Arginine supplementation in septic patients has transient effects on hemodynamics when supplied as a bolus but seems without hemodynamic side effects when supplied continuously. In conclusion, arginine could have an essential role in infection and sepsis.