Teachers in Slovenia have been noticing the increased consumption of energy drinks among pupils. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate habits that contribute to the frequency of ...energy drink consumption.
36 teens participated in the study: elementary school pupils (6th and 8th grades), general upper secondary school pupils, and secondary technical school pupils (1st and 3rd year). In the course of the study 6 group interviews were held to help investigate young people's habits and their reasons for energy drink purchase and consumption. Moreover, we investigated the influence of age on the consumption and knowledge about energy drink ingredients, as well as their influence on the body.
Interview analysis showed that energy drink consumers are predominantly secondary school pupils. Their choice most frequently depends on the price, their taste, or the brand. What influences elementary school pupils' purchasing decisions are price, packaging, and advertisements, while secondary school pupils choose their drinks according to the lack of energy and how tired they feel. The predominant factors preventing energy drink consumption are health problems among family members and friends. Secondary school pupils know more about energy drink ingredients than elementary school pupils.
On the basis of these findings, we will design a survey questionnaire for Slovenian teenagers and teachers, didactic material, and suggestions for improving educational programmes.
Sarcopenia is a common skeletal muscle disorder in older people. Here we explore the prevalence of sarcopenia and its impact on men with prostate cancer.
We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of ...Science databases for relevant studies with an explicit definition of sarcopenia in men with prostate cancer which were published between years 2000 and 2022. Prevalence of sarcopenia and its association with time to biochemical recurrence (BCR), progression-free survival (PFS), non-cancer mortality, overall survival (OS), and treatment-related complications in men with prostate cancer were explored. The summary prevalence, hazard ratios (HRs), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated.
A total of 24 studies comprising 3,616 patients with early and advanced prostate cancer were included. The prevalence of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity was 43.8% (95% CI 19.2%–68.5%) and 24.0% (95% CI 5.0%–43.1%), respectively. Sarcopenia was not associated with a shorter time to BCR (HR 0.89, 95% CI 0.64–1.23, p = 0.48), a shorter PFS (HR 1.20, 95% CI 0.73–1.97, p = 0.48), or a shorter OS (HR 1.29, 95% CI 0.90–1.85, p = 0.16). In contrast, sarcopenia was significantly associated with a higher non-cancer mortality (HR 1.85, 95% CI 1.23–2.80, p = 0.003). In four out of five studies eligible for assessment, sarcopenia was not associated with an increased risk of treatment-related complications.
Sarcopenia increases the risk of death from other causes in men with prostate cancer. Patients with prostate cancer should be assessed and managed for sarcopenia in everyday clinical practice.
Receiving a cancer diagnosis is an important moment in anyone's life. Consequently, many patients are prepared to change their everyday habits and begin to look for advice from a wide range of ...sources. Women with breast cancer are particularly motivated and committed to making changes to their lifestyle and diet. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the changes in nutritional and other lifestyle habits following breast cancer diagnosis in Slovenia. A further goal was to estimate the proportion of breast cancer patients using dietary supplements and alternative diets or ascertain their desire to attend a consultation with a dietician.
A link to an online questionnaire was sent to the email addresses of members of Europa Donna and posted on their website (www.europadonna-zdruzenje.si) and Facebook page.
A total of 102 patients were included in the study. We found that a majority of breast cancer patients changed their eating habits (68.6%) and/or physical activity level (53.9%) following diagnosis. On average, they increased their fruit and vegetable intake and reduced their intake of sugar, red meat and fat. Alternative diets were used by 29.4% of patients, with a high proportion of patients (75.5%) consuming dietary supplements. More than a half of the patients (69.6%) expressed a desire for a consultation with a dietician.
Nutritional support during cancer treatment is part of medical treatment and has an important role to play in secondary and tertiary cancer prevention activities. More dieticians should therefore be incorporated into the health system.
Objectives. The aim of the study is to assess the weight loss programme with regards to the long-term effectiveness of weight reduction and weight maintenance, using completion rate and BMI, blood ...sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure levels as outcomes. The aim of the study also includes identifying the factors associated with adherence to the programme.
Methods. The programme was developed by a multidisciplinary team. It included 6 months of introduction and another 18 months of maintenance. The data for 397 participants was collected after 24 months.
Results. 346 participants have completed the introduction and 123 have completed the programme. In the introduction, the average weight loss was 12% of the initial weight. The participants, who completed the full programme, lost 9.4% of their initial weight. The participants also significantly (p<0.05) reduced their blood sugar and cholesterol levels, as well as their blood pressure. The factors associated with adherence to the programme are: age over 50, lower educational levels, lower initial weight and higher weight loss in the introduction.
Conclusions. The multi-disciplinary approach to obesity treatment was effective for a selected group of people. The proportion of dropouts was relatively high, but still low compared to similar programmes. Group treatment and mutual support are of a great importance in bringing about and maintaining the changes.
Izhodišča. Namen raziskave je bil opredeliti kratkoročno in dolgoročno uspešnost programa glede na vztrajanje v njem, ITM, vrednost krvnega sladkorja, holesterola in krvnega tlaka pri udeležencih, ki so program zaključili. Želeli smo tudi opredeliti dejavnike, ki napovedujejo vztrajanje v programu.
Metode. V programu sodeluje multidisciplinarni tim strokovnjakov: zdravnik, diplomirana medicinska sestra, fizioterapevt in profesor telesne vadbe. Program ima dva dela: 6-mesečni shujševalni del in 18-mesečni vzdrževalni del. V program se je vključilo 397 udeležencev po nasvetu osebnega zdravnika. Podatke smo ocenili po 24 mesecih.
Rezultati. Prvi, shujševalni del programa je zaključilo 346 udeležencev, od tega jih je 123 zaključilo celotni program. V shujševalnem delu je bilo povprečno znižanje teže za 12% začetne teže, pri tistih, ki so zaključili vzdrževalni program, pa za 9,4% začetne teže. Udeležencem se je po dveh letih statistično pomembno (p<0,05) znižala vrednost krvnega sladkorja in holesterola, prav tako sta se znižala tudi sistolični in diastolični krvni tlak. Dejavniki, ki so vplivali na daljše vztrajanje v programu, so bili starost nad 50 let, nižja izobrazba, nižja vstopna teža in večja izguba kilogramov v prvem delu programa.
Zaključek. Z raziskavo smo želeli dokazati, da je multidisciplinarni pristop zdravljenja debelosti za tiste, ki zaključijo program v celoti, učinkovit. Delež tistih, ki so program zaključili predčasno, je relativno visok, vendar v primerjavi z ostalimi podobnimi programi še vedno nizek. Izkazalo se je, da so pogost stik s strokovnjakom, skupinska obravnava ter podpora ljudem z enakimi težavami izrednega pomena pri spreminjanju in vzdrževanju sprememb.
Clinical dietitians play a crucial role in the nutritional support of patients at risk of malnutrition in primary care settings. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of an individualized ...nutritional intervention on clinically relevant outcomes for patients with chronic disease at nutritional risk.
A longitudinal evaluation study was conducted in two Slovenian primary health centres. We used pre-test and post-test design. Patients with chronic disease were screened using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool and additional risk factors (≥70 years and BMI <22 kg/m
; lower food intake in the last five days). Patients at nutritional risk were referred to a clinical dietitian for individual nutritional intervention. The effect of the nutritional intervention was assessed six months after the patients' first visit with a clinical dietitian.
The sample included 94 patients. Nutritional risk was reduced significantly in high-risk and moderate-risk patients. In a subgroup of patients with a MUST score ≥1 (77 patients), body weight, BMI, Fat-Free Mass Index (FFMI), energy intake, and protein intake increased significantly (p<0.001). At the same time, the phase angle significantly increased (p<0.001), but there were no statistically significant changes in the improvement of grip strength. In a subgroup of patients with MUST score 0 (17 patients), we observed an increase in their median daily energy intake (p<0.001) and median protein intake (p=0.003).
Nutritional intervention delivered by a clinical dietitian improved patients' nutritional intake and nutritional and functional status.
Various types of immunotherapy (i.e. immune checkpoint inhibitors ICIs, chimeric antigen receptor CAR T-cells and bispecific T-cell engagers BiTEs) and antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) have been used ...increasingly to treat solid cancers, lymphomas and leukaemias. Patients with serious complications of these therapies can be presented to physicians of different specialties. In this narrative review we discuss potentially fatal complications of new systemic anticancer therapies and some practical considerations for their diagnosis and initial treatment.
Clinical presentation of toxicities of new anticancer therapies may be unpredictable and nonspecific. They can mimic other more common medical conditions such as infection or stroke. If not recognized and properly treated these toxicities can progress rapidly into life-threatening conditions. ICIs can cause immune-related inflammatory disorders of various organ systems (e.g. pneumonitis or colitis), and a cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) may develop after treatment with CAR T-cells or BiTEs. The cornerstones of management of these hyper-inflammatory disorders are supportive care and systemic immunosuppressive therapy. The latter should start as soon as symptoms are mild-moderate. Similarly, some severe toxicities of ADCs also require immunosuppressive therapy. A multidisciplinary team including an oncologist/haematologist and a corresponding organ-site specialist (e.g. gastroenterologist in the case of colitis) should be involved in the diagnosis and treatment of these toxicities.
Health professionals should be aware of potential serious complications of new systemic anticancer therapies. Early diagnosis and treatment with adequate supportive care and immunosuppressive therapy are crucial for the optimal outcome of patients with these complications.
•This was the first study to focus on the risk for malnutrition in a general population (family practice non-attenders, living at home).•One in 10 community-living family practice non-attenders had ...an increased risk for malnutrition.•A screening program at the primary health level can aid in performing early identification of patients at risk for malnutrition.
The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and the factors associated with malnutrition in a population of family practice non-attenders. This would enable us to recognize the extent of the problem and anticipate the measures needed to improve the current situation.
This was a cross-sectional observational study in a family medicine setting. Participants were adults living in the community (≥18 y of age) who had not visited their chosen family physician in the previous 5 y (non-attenders) and who were able to participate in the study. Through the electronic system, we identified 2025 non-attenders. Data were collected by community nurses in the participants’ homes. The main outcome measure was the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool.
The sample consisted of 1641 participants (81% response rate). Increased risk for malnutrition was determined in 216 participants (13.2%; 95% confidence interval, 11.6–14.9). The multivariate model showed a significant association of increased risk for malnutrition with age and body mass index interaction (P = 0.022); number of chronic diseases (P = 0.001); poor assessment of current health (P = 0.001); a feelings of loneliness (P <0.001); and increased pain intensity (P = 0.003).
A screening program at the primary health care level could help identify patients at risk for malnutrition early. This could be followed by appropriate nutrition support, which may help to reverse or halt the malnutrition trajectory and the negative outcomes associated with poor nutritional status.
Izhodišča: Na podlagi prehranske obravnave in postavljene diagnoze motnja prehranjenosti ali s prehranjenostjo povezane motnje lahko oblikujemo posamezniku prilagojeni načrt prehranskih ukrepov. Ta ...je nujen, da vzdržujemo ali izboljšamo posameznikovo prehranjenost, pripravijo in izvajajo pa ga bolnik, njegovi bližnji in večstrokovna skupina, ki deluje v okviru različnih organizacijskih oblik ukvarjanja s klinično prehrano. Metode: Skupina 42 slovenskih strokovnjakov iz 19 slovenskih zdravstvenih ustanov je oblikovala eksplicitni terminološki dogovor. Osnovnim pojmom s področja prehranske oskrbe in organizacijskih oblik klinične prehrane smo določili slovenski termin in ustrezno terminološko definicijo, pri čemer smo izhajali tako iz strokovne literature področja kot iz jezikoslovne literature. Temelj oblikovanja terminologije so terminološke smernice Evropskega združenja za klinično prehrano in presnovo. Rezultati: V prispevku predstavljamo slovenske termine in terminološke definicije načrta prehranskih ukrepov, prehranske podpore in prehranske terapije. Opredelili smo tudi prehransko okolje, diete, paliativno prehrano in oblike hrane ter hranjenja v klinični prehrani. Opisali smo tudi možnosti za organizacijo prehranske oskrbe v zdravstvenih in negovalnih ustanovah. Zaključek: Poenoteno razumevanje osnovnih pojmov s področja prehranske terapije, prehranske podpore in organizacijskih oblik klinične prehrane je nujno za uspešno sporazumevanje med strokovnjaki, poenoteno poučevanje in razvoj ter vključitev organizacijskih oblik klinične prehrane v zdravstveni sistem.
Izhodišča: Pomembno vlogo pri prehranski obravnavi imata tako presejanje prehranske ogroženosti kot prehranski pregled, na podlagi katerega lahko postavimo diagnozo motnje prehranjenosti ali s ...prehranjenostjo povezane motnje. Ocena posameznikovega prehranskega stanja, ki jo pridobimo s prehransko obravnavo, je namreč ključna za načrtovanje učinkovite prehranske oskrbe. Za razvoj področja je pomembno, da so vsi termini, ki se uporabljajo pri kliničnem delu, usklajeni. Taki terminološki dokumenti v mednarodnem prostoru že obstajajo, smiselni pa so tudi za slovenščino in naše okolje.
Metode: Prispevek temelji na eksplicitnem terminološkem dogovoru skupine 42 relevantnih slovenskih strokovnjakov iz 19 slovenskih ustanov. Osnova oblikovanja terminoloških smernic je terminološki dokument Evropskega združenja za klinično prehrano in presnovo, pri čemer so bili upoštevani tudi novejši izsledki klinične prehrane.
Rezultati: Predstavljeni so slovenski termini in terminološke definicije s področja klinične prehrane. Opredeljeni so osnovni pojmi s področja prehranske obravnave, ki je praviloma del medicinske obravnave. Predstavljena sta pojma prehranska ogroženost in presejanje prehranske ogroženosti, ob čemer so navedeni tudi različni presejalni testi za presejanje prehranskih motenj in s prehranjenostjo povezanih stanj. Podrobno so opredeljeni tudi prehranski pregled in njegovi sestavni deli.
Zaključki: Tako presejanje prehranske ogroženosti kot prehranski pregled sta bistvena za diagnostično obravnavo v okviru klinične prehrane, poenoteno razumevanje terminologije pa omogoča primerno prepoznavo patoloških stanj pri bolnikih in pripravo ustreznega načrta prehranskih ukrepov.