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Postsurgery enteral nutrition in head and neck cancer patients

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 56, pages 1126–1129 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: Patients with head and neck cancer undergoing surgery have a high incidence of postoperative complications. The aim of our study was to investigate whether postoperative nutrition of head and neck cancer patients, using an arginine-enriched diet, could improve nutritional variables as well as clinical outcomes.

Design: Randomized clinical trial.

Setting: Tertiary care.

Subjects: A population of 47 patients with oral and laryngeal cancer were enrolled.

Interventions: At surgery patients were randomly allocated to two groups: (a) patients receiving an enteral diet supplemented with arginine and fiber (group I); (b) patients receiving an isocaloric, isonitrogenous enteral formula (group II).

Results: No significant intergroup differences in the trend of the three plasma proteins and lymphocytes were detected. Gastrointestinal tolerance (diarrhea) of both formulas was good (17.4% group I and 8.3% group II; NS). During the 3 months after hospital discharge five patients died; no diferences were detected between groups (13% group I and 8.3% group II; NS). The incidences postoperative infection complications were similar (nine patients) in both groups (21.7% group I and 16.7% group II; NS). Fistula were less frequent in enriched nutrition group (0% group I and 20.8% group II; P<0.05); wound infection was more frequent in group II, but without statistical difference (4.3% group I and 12.5% group II; NS). The length of postoperative stay was 22.8±11.8 days in the enriched group and 31.2±19.1 days in the control group (P=0.07).

Conclusions: In conclusion, enriched formula improves local wound complications in postoperative head and neck cancer patients. Our results suggest that these patients could benefit from an immunonutrient-enhanced enteral formula.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Medicine School and Hospital Rio Hortega, Spain

    DA de Luis, O Izaola, L Cuellar & MC Terroba

  2. Hospital Clinico, University of Valladolid, Valladolid, Spain

    R Aller

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  1. DA de Luis
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  2. R Aller
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  3. O Izaola
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  4. L Cuellar
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  5. MC Terroba
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Correspondence to DA de Luis.

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de Luis, D., Aller, R., Izaola, O. et al. Postsurgery enteral nutrition in head and neck cancer patients. Eur J Clin Nutr 56, 1126–1129 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601458

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