Browsing by Author "Barata, Ana Teresa"
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- Vitamin D in dysphagic patients who have undergone endoscopic gastrostomy for long-term enteral feedingPublication . Santos, Carla Adriana; Nunes, Gonçalo; Barata, Ana Teresa; Fonseca, JorgeObjective: Vitamin D plays a major role in biological processes. Its deficiency is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Patients who have undergone endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) present with protein-energy malnutrition, and may be at risk for Vitamin D deficiency, due to their age, less sunlight exposure, and lower dietary intake. We aimed to determine the prevalence of hypovitaminosis D in PEG patients, its change under PEG-feeding, and its relationship with serum proteins and risk factors for Vitamin D deficiency. Methods: This was a prospective observational study, over 4 weeks, after gastrostomy. Data were collected at the initial PEG procedure (T0), and after 4 weeks (T1). Initial evaluation included age, gender, underlying disorder, NRS-2002, BMI, serum albumin, transferrin, and Vitamin D. At T1 we assessed Vit. D, albumin, and transferrin. Vitamin D was performed with Electrochemiluminescence through Elecsys 2010 assay. Patients were fed with blended homemade meals. Results: 200 patients (118 males), 22-92 years of age, were studied. There were initial low values for Vit. D (181), albumin (96), transferrin (121), and BMI (124). A correlation was found between Vit. D and serum albumin (r=0.49, p=0.005) but not with transferrin (r=0.26, p=0.195). At T1 the subgroup who had Vit. D levels assessed (n=48) was part of the initial study group maintained low levels of Vitamin D despite nutritional intervention. Conclusion: We recommend systematic Vitamin D supplementation of PEG-fed patients using homemade meals or at least screening for hypovitaminosis D as a routine part of their care.