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Application of food exchange portion method in home-based nutritional intervention for elderly patients with chronic heart failure.
Zhou, C, Wang, S, Sun, X, Han, Y, Zhang, L, Liu, M
BMC cardiovascular disorders. 2023;23(1):80
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Chronic heart failure (CHF) is the terminal stage of heart disease and in recent years, the prevalence of CHF has been increasing among the elderly. Studies have demonstrated that the incidence rate of malnutrition among elderly patients with stable CHF is relatively high. Thus, how to help elderly CHF patients based at home to effectively carry out nutritional self-management and prevent the occurrence of malnutrition, has become a major focus of medical research. The aim of this study was to test the effect of home-based nutritional intervention method on improving the nutritional status of elderly patients with CHF. This study is a randomised controlled trial that enrolled a total of 90 elderly patients with stable CHF. The patients were randomly divided into the experimental group and the control group. Results show that home-based food exchange nutritional interventions can effectively improve the malnutrition status as well as the cardiopulmonary function and exercise tolerance of elderly patients with CHF. Furthermore, after two months of intervention, the protein content and skeletal muscle mass were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group, while the reduction in body fat and body fat rate was also significantly higher in the former than in the latter. Authors conclude that the food exchange method is easy to grasp, operate and master, and is highly suitable for home-based elderly CHF patients.
Abstract
BACKGROUND The home treatment of elderly patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) is often accompanied by malnutrition, which increases the risk of re-hospitalisation and affects the prognosis. Therefore, how to effectively improve the nutritional self-management of patients is a current focus of medical research. This study aims to test the effect of home-based nutritional intervention method on improving the nutritional status of elderly patients with CHF. METHODS A total of 90 hospitalised elderly patients with CHF were randomly divided into the experimental group (n = 45) and the control group (n = 45). The patients in both groups were given standardised drug therapy and their nutritional status was evaluated using a body composition analyser prior to discharge (protein, body fat percentage, visceral fat area, skeletal muscle, upper arm muscle circumference, left lower limb and right lower limb muscle mass), with the cardiopulmonary function evaluated using a six-minute walk test and the metabolic equivalents method. The control group was given general nutrition education and routine dietary guidance from cardiac rehabilitation nurses, while the experimental group was given an individualised nutrition prescription by dietitians based on the evaluation results, according to which one-to-one food exchange dietary intervention training was given until the patients mastered the process. RESULTS The nutritional indexes at the end of the study were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group and were higher than those before the intervention (P < 0.05). The muscle circumference of the upper arm, the muscle mass of the left lower limb and the right lower limb had no statistical significance following the intervention compared to the control group and before the intervention (P > 0.05). The cardiopulmonary function indexes were significantly better in the experimental group at the end of the study than before the intervention and were better than those in the control group, with statistically significant differences (P < 0.05), while no significant changes were observed in the control group before and after the intervention (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION The home-based nutritional intervention method of food exchange portions can effectively improve the nutritional status of elderly patients with CHF, with the distribution of visceral fat more reasonable and the cardiopulmonary function and exercise endurance improved.
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Effect of probiotics on lipid profiles and blood pressure in patients with type 2 diabetes: A meta-analysis of RCTs.
He, J, Zhang, F, Han, Y
Medicine. 2017;96(51):e9166
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Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is the most common metabolic disorder worldwide. Though many clinical studies have explored the effects of probiotics on T2DM they have concluded mixed results. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate all current randomised controlled trials and determine the effect of probiotics on lipid profiles and blood pressure in patients with T2DM. According to the existing literature, probiotic supplementation for patients with T2DM has a positive effect by lowering total cholesterol and increasing high-density lipoproteins (HDLs). While these beneficial effects on lipid profiles and blood pressure have been found, the authors conclude there is still a need for a multi-centre, longitudinal study to better understand the effects of probiotics on patients with T2DM.
Abstract
BACKGROUND This meta-analysis aimed to systematically evaluate the effects of probiotics on blood lipid and blood pressure among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) based on the randomized controlled studies. METHODS PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, Wanfang, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and VIP database were searched by the index words to identify the qualified randomized control trial. The latest research was done in the January 2017. Mean difference (MD) along with 95% confidence interval (CI) was used to analyze the included outcomes. RESULTS Ten trials were included at last with 297 patients in the treatment group and 294 patients in the control group. Probiotics significantly decreased the value of total cholesterol (SMD -0.57, 95% CI -0.92 to 0.21), triglyceride (SMD -0.66, 95% CI -0.93 to 0.39), low-density lipoprotein (SMD -0.40, 95% CI -0.79 to 0.01), systolic blood pressure (WMD -5.04, 95% CI -8.8 to 1.20), diastolic blood pressure (SMD -0.39, 95% CI -0.62 to 0.17), fasting blood glucose (FBG) (SMD 3.54, 95% CI 1.94-5.15) compared with the placebo treatment. Apart from this, probiotics could significantly improve the value of high-density lipoprotein (SMD 0.38, 95% CI 0.03-0.73). CONCLUSION Probiotics may decrease the indexes of lipid profile, blood pressure, and FBG in patients with T2DM; application of probiotics might be a new method for lipid profiles and blood pressure management in T2DM.