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Biomedical subjects

Ezra Steiger

Publications and source records attributed to Ezra Steiger.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

Criteria for the use of recombinant human growth hormone in short bowel syndrome.

Extensive resection of the intestinal tract with resulting malabsorption is known as short bowel syndrome (SBS). Adaptation and rehabilitation of the remaining small bowel occurs spontaneously after resection and can be enhanced by diet, medications, and use of intestinal trophic factors such as recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH). Many trials have been published on the influence of r-hGH therapy in SBS patients, with varying results. Analysis of the trials has produced a set of criteria that can be used to define the patient most likely to benefit from r-hGH therapy.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Practical guide to intestinal rehabilitation for postresection intestinal failure: a case study.

After massive small-intestinal resection or combined small-intestinal and colonic resection, diarrhea with resulting dehydration, electrolyte abnormalities, and malnutrition occur. Many patients become dependent on IV fluids and nutrition. An adaptation process manifested clinically by decreased diarrhea and improved nutrient absorption according to decreased parenteral nutrition and fluid requirements has been noted to occur over time. In some patients, adaptation is inadequate and may require special techniques to enhance and augment this process. This is a case of a 52-year-old woman who experienced increased stoma output 1 week after major intestinal resection, resulting in dehydration. She required IV fluids in order to maintain hydration. After the initiation of an intestinal rehabilitation program, which included modified diet, soluble fiber, oral rehydration solution (ORS), and medications, IV fluids were successfully weaned off in 3 months. She continues not to receive IV fluids and continues to follow the intestinal rehabilitation plan.

Crohn Disease↗

Managing short bowel syndrome: making the most of what the patient still has.

Short bowel syndrome (severe malabsorption after resection of the small bowel) is characterized clinically by chronic diarrhea, dehydration, electrolyte abnormalities, and malnutrition. The severity and management depend on the site and extent of the intestinal resection, whether the ileocecal valve remains, whether there is disease in the residual bowel, and the degree of adaptation of the remaining bowel.

Humans↗

Growth hormone, glutamine, and modified diet for intestinal adaptation.

Many patients who undergo extensive resection of the gastrointestinal tract develop intestinal failure from short-bowel syndrome that results in significant malabsorption of fluid, electrolytes, and other nutrients. This may result in dependence on long-term parenteral nutrition. It has been almost a decade since Byrne and colleagues published their research demonstrating enhanced absorption of nutrients, improved weight gain, and reduction in parenteral nutrition requirements with the administration of a combination of growth hormone, glutamine, and a modified diet. Other researchers have conducted similar studies with inconsistent results. A systematic search on electronic databases and the Internet for the purpose of identifying the evidence published to date on this subject was performed. The analysis suggests administering recombinant human growth hormone alone or together with glutamine with or without a modified diet may be of benefit when the appropriate patients are selected for treatment.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Percentage of weight loss as a predictor of surgical risk: from the time of Hiram Studley to today.

Hiram Studley's 1936 article of research was the first publication to present a connection between preoperative weight loss and adverse postoperative outcome. Almost 70 years later, weight loss remains one of the most prominently used tools to assess nutritional status and predict surgical risk. This paper provides an overview of surgical practices at the time of Dr Studley and demonstrates Studley's unique contributions to the field of nutrition support. The search for more accurate methods of preoperative nutrition assessment is traced to show how subsequent research continues to validate the use of weight loss in the assessment of surgical risk. New developments center on techniques of body composition assessment to quantify weight lost as functional weight and clarify the impact of malnutrition on operative outcome.

Journal Article↗

Review of a potential role for zinc supplementation in oral rehydration solutions.

Patients with short bowel syndrome often present with diarrhea and significant fluid and electrolyte abnormalities. Management consists of the use of medication, dietary modification, and oral rehydration solutions. Zinc deficiency has been shown to result in diarrhea. Oral zinc has been used for the management of acute diarrhea primarily in underprivileged children in developing countries. The effectiveness and feasibility of adding zinc to oral rehydration solutions (ORS) to abate and control diarrhea for adult patients with intestinal failure caused by short bowel syndrome has not been studied. Based on studies evaluating the use of oral zinc supplementation in the treatment of acute diarrhea, recommendations are made for the composition of ORS in adults.

Journal Article↗

The role of probiotics in gastrointestinal disease.

Patients with intestinal failure often have diarrhea for a variety of reasons. Treatment of diarrhea has centered on the use of antidiarrheal medications and antibiotic therapy. Recently, there has been interest in the oral administration of probiotics for these patients with small bowel bacterial overgrowth, inflammatory bowel disease, and radiation enteritis. This paper reviews the studies that have used probiotics to treat patients with short bowel syndrome and gastrointestinal disorders. Additionally, some of the specific issues regarding probiotics are addressed.

Journal Article↗

Venous thrombosis associated with peripherally inserted central catheters: a retrospective analysis of the Cleveland Clinic experience.

Peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) have become popular for long courses of intravenously administration of antibiotics. Although these devices are generally regarded as safe, thrombotic complications have been associated with their use. In a retrospective review, 51 (2.47%) of 2063 patients who had a PICC placed during 1994-1996 were found to have developed a total of 52 PICC-associated venous thromboses (VTs). Two patients received the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism that was a complication of VT. Risk factors for VT identified by multiple logistic regression analysis were younger age, history of VT, discharge to a skilled-nursing facility, and therapy with amphotericin B. VT is a significant complication of PICC placement. It may occur more frequently than previously recognized and may be complicated by pulmonary embolism. Clinicians should maintain a high index of suspicion, especially for high-risk patients.

Case-Control Studies↗

Examination of factors that lead to complications for new home parenteral nutrition patients.

Home parenteral nutrition carries a risk of infectious, metabolic, and mechanical complications that cause significant morbidity and mortality. This study investigated the incidence and the causative factors of these complications that occur within the first 90 days after discharge from the hospital to home. Data were prospectively collected and analyzed for 97 adult patients. A complication developed in one third of the patients, and the majority required rehospitalization. Infectious complications were the most prevalent, followed by mechanical and then metabolic complications. The authors describe their methods of collecting data in a quantifiable manner with the ultimate goal of improving patient outcomes.

Adult↗

Treatment of adult short bowel syndrome with recombinant human growth hormone: a review of clinical studies.

Extensive resection of the intestinal tract frequently results in inadequate digestion and/or absorption of nutrients, a condition known as short bowel syndrome (SBS). Several therapies, including parenteral nutrition (PN), bowel rehabilitation, and surgical procedures to reconstruct the bowel, have been used for patients with SBS. However, these treatments only partially correct the underlying problem of reduced bowel function in some patients. This review investigates the results of studies of recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) in patients with SBS. In one randomized, controlled and five open-label studies, treatment with r-hGH significantly increased absorption of energy, protein and/or carbohydrates. Four studies also demonstrated significantly increased body weight, lean body mass, total body potassium and/or total body water in response to r-hGH. However, in two other randomized controlled trials, r-hGH had no significant effect on energy or fluid absorption. In one randomized, controlled study and six open-label trials, treatment with r-hGH also allowed a majority of patients, including those with no colon and significant bowel resection, to eliminate or substantially reduce PN. Optimal clinical benefits appear to be achieved when r-hGH is administered in combination with a specialized oral diet and perhaps with glutamine. Although the use of r-hGH to treat SBS patients remains controversial, results from these studies suggest that short-term r-hGH treatment in combination with optimized medical and dietetic treatments can enhance bowel absorption and function and, with the continuation of optimized medical and dietetic treatments, may reduce PN requirements for a wide range of patients with SBS.

Adult↗

Dietary and medical management of short bowel syndrome in adult patients.

Resection of the small bowel can lead to malabsorption of fluid, electrolytes, minerals, and other essential nutrients, resulting in malnutrition and dehydration. Individualized and tailored nutritional management for patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS) helps to optimize intestinal absorption, leading to nutritional independence such that a patient can resume as normal a lifestyle as possible. Parenteral nutrition (PN), used to supply the required nutrients following resection, is associated with a number of complications affecting patient morbidity and mortality. Attempts should be made to wean patients from PN to an oral diet as soon as possible. Dietary management is complex and needs to be individualized for each patient on the basis of his or her specific gastrointestinal anatomy, underlying disease, and lifestyle. In addition to nutrient intake, management of SBS also requires appropriate oral rehydration, vitamin and mineral supplementation, and pharmacotherapy. Several medications provide a useful adjunctive function to dietary intervention, including antidiarrheal agents, H2 antagonists and proton pump inhibitors, pancreatic enzymes, somatostatin analogs, antimicrobials, and trophic factors.

Adult↗

Strategies for parenteral nutrition weaning in adult patients with short bowel syndrome.

The development of parenteral nutrition (PN) was an important, life-saving advance in the care of patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS). Nevertheless, its long-term use is often associated with complications. Therefore, it is desirable, when possible, to wean SBS patients to an oral diet. Given the complexity of PN weaning and the lack of published guidelines, the purpose of this article is to describe strategies of PN weaning and illustrate important clinical considerations during the weaning process. Patient education and motivation are key factors in successful PN weaning. The patient should have clearly defined care protocols and understand the importance of each aspect of the weaning program. Other factors likely to influence weaning success include the length and health of the remnant bowel, the presence of a colon, and the degree to which bowel adaptation has occurred. It is imperative that daily oral fluid and caloric intake goals are met prior to initiating PN weaning and that the patient receives an optimized dietary and medication plan. During weaning, the most practical measures for assessing adequate hydration and nutritional status are oral intake, stool and urine output, serum electrolytes and visceral proteins, and body weight. PN reductions can be made by either decreasing the days of PN infusion per week or decreasing the PN infusion volume equally across all days of the week. Use of recombinant human growth hormone, with or without glutamine, may play a role in facilitating the PN weaning process.

Adult↗

Indications and recommendations for the use of recombinant human growth hormone in adult short bowel syndrome patients dependent on parenteral nutrition.

Given the lack of published guidelines regarding the use of trophic factors to treat patients with short bowel syndrome (SBS), a group of experts in the field convened to discuss best-practice strategies. Trophic factors, such as recombinant human growth hormone (r-hGH) and glucagon-like peptide-2 (GLP-2), may enhance intestinal adaptation and decrease parenteral nutrition (PN) requirements; therefore, their utility in treating SBS patients was evaluated. Available clinical data on use of r-hGH therapy in SBS patients were discussed, as were the utility of r-hGH in the PN weaning process, the optimal timing of r-hGH therapy, and how to select appropriate patients for r-hGH therapy. In addition, contraindications and precautions as well as adverse effects of r-hGH treatment were discussed. The meeting culminated with the development of a treatment algorithm to summarize best-practice recommendations for the management of SBS in adult patients. This algorithm involves attempting to wean patients off PN without the use of trophic factors. If this is unsuccessful, it is recommended that patients be treated with an r-hGH regimen or participate in investigational studies using other trophic factors.

Adult↗

Obtaining and maintaining vascular access in the home parenteral nutrition patient.

Obtaining and maintaining vascular access is a critical part of successful home parenteral nutrition (HPN) management. Most of the HPN related rehospitalization of patients is caused by problems associated with long-term vascular access. The causes of death in HPN patients are mostly related to their primary underlying disease. However, approximately 12% of deaths in HPN patients are related to catheter-associated problems. The appropriate placement of long-term vascular access devices and their care and management should be familiar to all clinicians helping to manage these patients and will be discussed.

Catheterization, Peripheral↗

Body composition changes in cachectic patients receiving home parenteral nutrition.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the initial body compositional changes experienced by malnourished patients requiring home parenteral nutrition (HPN) for repletion. METHODS: Eight patients were prospectively studied for 3 months. Body composition was determined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and a comprehensive nutrition assessment was performed including body weight, visceral proteins, triceps skinfold (TSF), midupper arm circumference (MUAC), midupper arm muscle circumference (MUAMC), body mass index (BMI), delayed hypersensitivity skin tests (DHST), and diet history. RESULTS: Body composition measured by DXA showed an increase in (mean +/- SD) total fat from 5770 +/- 2805 to 10581 +/- 1980 g (p < .001) and bone mineral content from 2155 +/- 429 to 2190 +/- 443 g (p = .047). Lean soft tissue remained unchanged. Body weight and BMI increased from 47.7 +/- 6.6 to 53.6 +/- 8.2 kg (p = .006) and from 16.6 +/- 1.5 to 18.6 +/- 1.5 kg/m2 (p = .005), respectively. TSF increased from 6.3 +/- 3.1 to 10.4 +/- 4.0 mm (p < .001), and MUAMC remained stable. There was a significant improvement in transferrin from 191 +/- 82 to 326 +/- 128 mg/dL (p = .043), and a trend toward improvement in albumin and DHST. Body weight was highly correlated with DXA weight at baseline (r = .997; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.98 to 1.00; p < .001) and at 3 months (r = .988; 95% CI, 0.93 to 1.00; p <.001). TSF correlated with total fat as measured by DXA at baseline (r = .839; 95% CI, 0.33 to 0.97; p = .009) but not at 3 months (r = .693; 95% CI, -0.02 to 0.94; p = .057). MUAMC correlated with lean soft tissue measured by DXA both at baseline (r = .739; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.95; p = .036) and at 3 months (r = .870; 95% CI, 0.43 to 0.98; p = .005). Physical activity, on a subjective scale of 1 (low activity) to 3 (high activity), improved over the 3-month period from 1.3 +/- 0.5 to 2.2 +/- 0.8 (p = .031). CONCLUSIONS: Initial weight gain experienced by malnourished HPN patients is primarily fat. Bone mineral content increases, but lean soft tissue does not change. Overall nutritional status is improved as exhibited by significant improvements in body weight and serum transferrin and a trend toward improvement in albumin and delayed hypersensitivity skin tests.

Absorptiometry, Photon↗

Clinical trial of interactive and videotaped educational interventions reduce infection, reactive depression, and rehospitalizations for sepsis in patients on home parenteral nutrition.

BACKGROUND: Patients receiving long-term home parenteral nutrition (HPN) have catheter-related infections, reactive depression, and other recurrent problems that decrease their quality of life. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Interactive Educational Videotaped Interventions (IEVI) designed to prevent HPN complications of catheter-related bloodstream infection (CR-BSI), to prevent reactive depression (from Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition definition), and to increase patients' frequency of problem-solving with professionals. METHODS: A randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial was used to test IEVI that engaged patients in infection and depression prevention and problem-solving activities with professionals. The primary outcome measure was CR-BSIs, while reactive depression and problem solving were secondary outcomes. Quality of life and satisfaction with interventions, also secondary outcomes, were evaluated at 18 months. RESULTS: Compared with controls, there was a lower frequency in the experimental group of CRBSIs (chi2 = 4.82, p = .03), reactive depression (chi2 = 4.50, p = .03), and rehospitalization for CR-BSIs (chi2 = 5.73, p = .01). There was greater use of problem solving in the experimental group (chi2 = 4.33, p = .038). These differences occurred at the primary endpoint of 6 months after administration of the interventions. At the 18-month follow-up, there were fewer CR-BSIs (chi2 = 4.42, p = .035), and fewer hospitalizations for infection (chi2 = 5.729, p = .01). CONCLUSIONS: The IEVI reduced CR-BSIs and reactive depression and increased problem solving with professionals. IEVI use also can result in fewer hospitalizations and improved quality of life. Long-term improvement did not occur for reactive depression and problem-solving outcomes because patients used these less often.

Adolescent↗