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Background & aims: Malnutrition has been recognized as a major risk factor for adverse postoperative outcomes. The ESPEN Symposium on perioperative nutrition was held in Nottingham, UK, on 14–15 October 2018 and the aims of this document were to highlight the scientific basis for the nutritional and metabolic management of surgical patients. Methods: This paper represents the opinion of experts in this multidisciplinary field and those of a patient and caregiver, based on current evidence. It highlights the current state of the art. Results: Surgical patients may present with varying degrees of malnutrition, sarcopenia, cachexia, obesity and myosteatosis. Preoperative optimization can help improve outcomes. Perioperative fluid therapy should aim at keeping the patient in as near zero fluid and electrolyte balance as possible. Similarly, glycemic control is especially important in those patients with poorly controlled diabetes, with a stepwise increase in the risk of infectious complications and mortality per increasing HbA1c. Immobilization can induce a decline in basal energy expenditure, reduced insulin sensitivity, anabolic resistance to protein nutrition and muscle strength, all of which impair clinical outcomes. There is a role for pharmaconutrition, pre-, pro- and syn-biotics, with the evidence being stronger in those undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal cancer. Conclusions: Nutritional assessment of the surgical patient together with the appropriate interventions to restore the energy deficit, avoid weight loss, preserve the gut microbiome and improve functional performance are all necessary components of the nutritional, metabolic and functional conditioning of the surgical patient.

Background & aims: Malnutrition has been recognized as a major risk factor for adverse postoperative outcomes. The ESPEN Symposium on perioperative nutrition was held in Nottingham, UK, on 14–15 October 2018 and the aims of this document were to highlight the scientific basis for the nutritional and metabolic management of surgical patients. Methods: This paper represents the opinion of experts in this multidisciplinary field and those of a patient and caregiver, based on current evidence. It highlights the current state of the art. Results: Surgical patients may present with varying degrees of malnutrition, sarcopenia, cachexia, obesity and myosteatosis. Preoperative optimization can help improve outcomes. Perioperative fluid therapy should aim at keeping the patient in as near zero fluid and electrolyte balance as possible. Similarly, glycemic control is especially important in those patients with poorly controlled diabetes, with a stepwise increase in the risk of infectious complications and mortality per increasing HbA1c. Immobilization can induce a decline in basal energy expenditure, reduced insulin sensitivity, anabolic resistance to protein nutrition and muscle strength, all of which impair clinical outcomes. There is a role for pharmaconutrition, pre-, pro- and syn-biotics, with the evidence being stronger in those undergoing surgery for gastrointestinal cancer. Conclusions: Nutritional assessment of the surgical patient together with the appropriate interventions to restore the energy deficit, avoid weight loss, preserve the gut microbiome and improve functional performance are all necessary components of the nutritional, metabolic and functional conditioning of the surgical patient., Funding Agency:European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN), Luxemborg

Growing evidence underscores the important role of glycemic control in health and recovery from illness. Carbohydrate ingestion in the diet or administration in nutritional support is mandatory, but carbohydrate intake can adversely affect major body organs and tissues if resulting plasma glucose becomes too high, too low, or highly variable. Plasma glucose control is especially important for patients with conditions such as diabetes or metabolic stress resulting from critical illness or surgery. These patients are particularly in need of glycemic management to help lessen glycemic variability and its negative health consequences when nutritional support is administered. Here we report on recent findings and emerging trends in the field based on an ESPEN workshop held in Venice, Italy, 8-9 November 2015. Evidence was discussed on pathophysiology, clinical impact, and nutritional recommendations for carbohydrate utilization and management in nutritional support. The main conclusions were: a) excess glucose and fructose availability may exacerbate metabolic complications in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and liver and can result in negative clinical impact; b) low-glycemic index and high-fiber diets, including specialty products for nutritional support, may provide metabolic and clinical benefits in individuals with obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes; c) in acute conditions such as surgery and critical illness, insulin resistance and elevated circulating glucose levels have a negative impact on patient outcomes and should be prevented through nutritional and/or pharmacological intervention. In such acute settings, efforts should be implemented towards defining optimal plasma glucose targets, avoiding excessive plasma glucose variability, and optimizing glucose control relative to nutritional support.

Growing evidence underscores the important role of glycemic control in health and recovery from illness. Carbohydrate ingestion in the diet or administration in nutritional support is mandatory, but carbohydrate intake can adversely affect major body organs and tissues if resulting plasma glucose becomes too high, too low, or highly variable. Plasma glucose control is especially important for patients with conditions such as diabetes or metabolic stress resulting from critical illness or surgery. These patients are particularly in need of glycemic management to help lessen glycemic variability and its negative health consequences when nutritional support is administered. Here we report on recent findings and emerging trends in the field based on an ESPEN workshop held in Venice, Italy, 8-9 November 2015. Evidence was discussed on pathophysiology, clinical impact, and nutritional recommendations for carbohydrate utilization and management in nutritional support. The main conclusions were: a) excess glucose and fructose availability may exacerbate metabolic complications in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and liver and can result in negative clinical impact; b) low-glycemic index and high-fiber diets, including specialty products for nutritional support, may provide metabolic and clinical benefits in individuals with obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes; c) in acute conditions such as surgery and critical illness, insulin resistance and elevated circulating glucose levels have a negative impact on patient outcomes and should be prevented through nutritional and/or pharmacological intervention. In such acute settings, efforts should be implemented towards defining optimal plasma glucose targets, avoiding excessive plasma glucose variability, and optimizing glucose control relative to nutritional support.

Purpose: Plasma citrulline, a nitrogen end product of glutamine metabolism in small-bowel enterocytes, was suggested as a marker of radiation-induced small-bowel epithelial cell loss in mice after single-dose whole-body irradiation. Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of citrulline as a marker for radiation-induced small-intestinal mucosal atrophy in patients during and after abdominal fractionated radiotherapy. Methods and Materials: Twenty-three patients were studied weekly during treatment and at intervals of 2 weeks and 3 and 6 months after treatment by postabsorptive plasma citrulline concentration and clinical toxicity grading. The interrelationship between these variables and the correlation with small-bowel dose and volume parameters were investigated. Results: During fractionated radiotherapy, citrulline concentration significantly decreased as a function of the radiation dose (p < 0.001) and the volume of small bowel treated (p = 0.001). The plasma citrulline concentration correlated with clinical toxicity during the last 3 weeks of treatment. As a whole, citrulline concentration correlated better with radiation dose and volume parameters than clinical toxicity grading. Conclusions: In patients treated with fractionated radiation therapy for abdominal or pelvic cancer sites, plasma citrulline concentration may be a simple objective marker for monitoring epithelial cell loss, a major event in acute radiation-induced small-bowel toxicity. (C) 2004 Elsevier Inc.

PURPOSE: Plasma citrulline, a nitrogen end product of glutamine metabolism in small-bowel enterocytes, was suggested as a marker of radiation-induced small-bowel epithelial cell loss in mice after single-dose whole-body irradiation. Our objective was to evaluate the feasibility of citrulline as a marker for radiation-induced small-intestinal mucosal atrophy in patients during and after abdominal fractionated radiotherapy. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Twenty-three patients were studied weekly during treatment and at intervals of 2 weeks and 3 and 6 months after treatment by postabsorptive plasma citrulline concentration and clinical toxicity grading. The interrelationship between these variables and the correlation with small-bowel dose and volume parameters were investigated. RESULTS: During fractionated radiotherapy, citrulline concentration significantly decreased as a function of the radiation dose (p < 0.001) and the volume of small bowel treated (p = 0.001). The plasma citrulline concentration correlated with clinical toxicity during the last 3 weeks of treatment. As a whole, citrulline concentration correlated better with radiation dose and volume parameters than clinical toxicity grading. CONCLUSIONS: In patients treated with fractionated radiation therapy for abdominal or pelvic cancer sites, plasma citrulline concentration may be a simple objective marker for monitoring epithelial cell loss, a major event in acute radiation-induced small-bowel toxicity.