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Background: This study investigated whether nutritional risk scores applied at hospital admission predict mortality and complications after colorectal cancer surgery., Methods: Some 186 patients were studied prospectively. Clinical details, Reilly's Nutrition Risk Score (NRS) and Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 (NRS-2002) score, tumour stage and surgical procedure were recorded., Results: The prevalence of patients at nutritional risk was 31.7 per cent according to Reilly's NRS and 39.3 per cent based on the NRS-2002. Such patients had a higher mortality rate than those not at risk according to Reilly's NRS (8 versus 1.6 per cent; P = 0.033), but not the NRS-2002 (7 versus 1.8 per cent; P = 0.085). Based on the NRS-2002, there was a significant difference in postoperative complication rate between patients at nutritional risk and those not at risk (62 versus 39.8 per cent; P = 0.004) but not if Reilly's NRS was used (58 versus 44.1 per cent; P = 0.086). Nutritional risk was identified as an independent predictor of postoperative complications (odds ratio 2.79; P = 0.002)., Conclusion: Nutritional risk screening may be able to predict mortality and morbidity after surgery for colorectal cancer. However, the diverse results reflect either the imprecision of the tests or the small sample size., (Copyright 2010 British Journal of Surgery Society Ltd. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

Glucagon-like peptide-1-(7-36)-amide (GLP-1) is involved in satiety control and glucose homeostasis. Animal studies suggest a physiological role for GLP-1 in water and salt homeostasis. This study's aim was to define the effects of GLP-1 on water and sodium excretion in both healthy and obese men. Fifteen healthy subjects and 16 obese men (mean body mass index, 36 kg/m2) were examined in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study to demonstrate the effects of a 3-h infusion of GLP-1 on urinary sodium excretion, urinary output, and the glomerular filtration rate after an i.v. 9.9-g salt load. Infusion of GLP-1 evoked a dose-dependent increase in urinary sodium excretion in healthy subjects (from 74 +/- 8 to 143 +/- 18 mmol/180 min, P = 0.0013). In obese men, there was a significant increase in urinary sodium excretion (from 59 to 96 mmol/180 min, P = 0.015), a decrease in urinary H+ secretion (from 1.1 to 0.3 pmol/180 min, P = 0.013), and a 6% decrease in the glomerular filtration rate (from 151 +/- 8 to 142 +/- 8 ml/min, P = 0.022). Intravenous infusions of GLP-1 enhance sodium excretion, reduce H+ secretion, and reduce glomerular hyperfiltration in obese men. These findings suggest an action at the proximal renal tubule and a potential renoprotective effect.

Background: Half of the dialysis population suffers from hyperphosphataemia, which is now recognized as a major factor of haemodialysis (HD) morbidity and mortality. Current control is focussed on reducing dietary phosphate intake and diminishing absorption using phosphate binders, whereas control and quantification of phosphate removal by HD is undervalued. The aim of this prospective study was to develop a simple, bedside formula to estimate dialytic phosphate removal in stable HD patients., Methods: This was a prospective, randomized trial. Phosphate and urea elimination were assessed in a representative group of patients at two dialysis centres using randomly different dialysers (1.3-2.4 m(2)). Quantification was performed by partial dialysate collection, concentration measurements in blood and effluent dialysate spot samples, and Kt/V(urea) during standard high-flux HD. Multiple linear regression analyses were used in 77% of all data sets to generate an equation to predict phosphate removal. The formula was validated in the remaining 23% of data sets, in the same group of patients using a large capillary filter, and in diabetic patients treated with a small dialyser at different blood flows (200, 250, and 300 ml/min)., Results: A formula allowing quantification of phosphate removal within one HD session was developed in 18 of 74 patients during 41 treatments (137 out of 177 data sets) and was determined as: M(PO4pred)=0.1t -17+50c(ds60)+11c(b60), where t is treatment time in min, c(ds60) and c(b60) are phosphate concentrations in dialysate and plasma measured 60 min into HD in mmol/l, and M(PO4pred) is estimated phosphate removed in mmol. The precision was remarkable (r(2)=0.92-0.94). The comparison of phosphate and Kt/V(urea) showed a significant association (r(2)=0.28), albeit with remarkable scatter., Conclusions: We present the first approach to quantify phosphate removal during high-flux HD by a bedside formula. Only 28% of the variation in phosphate removal was explained by Kt/V(urea). It appears that other factors not adequately accounted for by Kt/V(urea) affect phosphate removal. Therefore, we propose an individual control and quantification of phosphate removal in HD.

Seven studies have now been published pertaining to the acute effect of iv administration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (7-36) amide on ad libitum energy intake. In four of these studies energy intake was significantly reduced following the glucagon-like peptide-1 infusion compared with saline. In the remaining studies, no significant effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 could be shown. Lack of statistical power or low glucagon-like peptide-1 infusion rate may explain these conflicting results. Our aim was to examine the effect of glucagon-like peptide-1 on subsequent energy intake using a data set composed of subject data from previous studies and from two as yet unpublished studies. Secondly, we investigated whether the effect on energy intake is dose dependent and differs between lean and overweight subjects. Raw subject data on body mass index and ad libitum energy intake were collected into a common data set (n = 115), together with study characteristics such as infusion rate, duration of infusion, etc. From four studies with comparable protocol the following subject data were included if available: plasma concentrations of glucagon-like peptide-1, subjective appetite measures, well-being, and gastric emptying rate of a meal served at the start of the glucagon-like peptide-1 infusion. Energy intake was reduced by 727 kJ (95% confidence interval, 548-908 kJ) or 11.7% during glucagon-like peptide-1 infusion. Although the absolute reduction in energy intake was higher in lean (863 kJ) (634-1091 kJ) compared with overweight subjects (487 kJ) (209-764 kJ) (P = 0.05), the relative reduction did not differ between the two groups (13.2% and 9.3%, respectively). Stepwise regression analysis showed that the glucagon-like peptide-1 infusion rate was the only independent predictor of the reduction in energy intake during glucagon-like peptide-1 (7-36) amide infusion (r = 0.4, P < 0.001). Differences in mean plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 concentration on the glucagon-like peptide-1 and placebo day (n = 43) were related to differences in feelings of prospective consumption (r = 0.40, P < 0.01), fullness (r = 0.38, P < 0.05), and hunger (r = 0.26, P = 0.09), but not to differences in ad libitum energy intake. Gastric emptying rate was significantly lower during glucagon-like peptide-1 infusion compared with saline. Finally, well-being was not influenced by the glucagon-like peptide-1 infusion. Glucagon-like peptide-1 infusion reduces energy intake dose dependently in both lean and overweight subjects. A reduced gastric emptying rate may contribute to the increased satiety induced by glucagon-like peptide-1.

Background: The influence of potassium (K) removal on dialysis efficiency as measured by urea elimination is not clear. In this prospective, randomized, cross-over study we investigated the magnitude of K removal and its effect on urea (u) elimination during high-flux haemodialysis (HD)., Methods: Twelve stable, non-diabetic HD patients were investigated during three one-week standardized HD periods (1.8 m(2) high-flux polysulphone dialyser, treatment time 240 min, Qb = 300 ml/min, Qd = 500 ml/min, dialysate without glucose, bicarbonate 40 mmol/l), using dialysates containing 0 (0K), 1 (1K), and 2 (2K) mmol/l of K. Mass removal of K (M(K)) and u (M(U)) were measured during the mid-week treatment by partial dialysate collection. Urea reduction rate (URR) and Kt/V were determined., Results: 0K, 1K and 2K treatments were perfectly comparable. Plasma K (PK) continuously declined reaching stable concentrations after 180 min. While 0K dialysate removed 117.1 mmol, 80.2 and 63.3 mmol (P < 0.001) were removed by 1K and 2K baths respectively. M(U) was not influenced by M(K) (r = 0.22) and amounted to 491.1 (0K), 508.6 (1K), and 506.2 (2K) mmol (NS) respectively. Accordingly, urea clearance, URR and Kt/V were constant during 0K, 1K and 2K treatments., Conclusions: Potassium-free dialysate significantly enhances potassium elimination. Potassium removal has no influence on urea elimination. High potassium removal, when needed, does not impair dialysis efficiency as measured by urea kinetics in high-flux, glucose-free, 40 mmol/l bicarbonate HD.