title: Enteral nutrition improves clinical outcome and shortens hospital stay after cancer surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of our study was to investigate whether medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) and protein-enriched enteral nutrition (EN) could improve protein level and clinical outcomes in postoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized clinical trial was performed. A population of 229 patients with gastrointestinal cancer was enrolled and allocated to two groups: (a) 114 patients received MCT and protein-enriched EN (Group I) and (b) 115 patients received an isocaloric EN (Group II). The total calorie was 25 kcal/kg/day and the time period of full dose of EN must be at least five days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The three plasma proteins were improved after the EN support in both groups (p < .05). But, the increase of prealbumin in Group I was higher than that in Group II (p < .05). Episodes of diarrhea rate were equal and the postoperative infectious complications were not different between both groups. The length of hospital stay was shorter in Group I (18.4 ± 12 vs. 24.5 ± 15 d; p < .05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  MCT and protein-enriched EN improves the prealbumin level and shortens the length of hospital stay in patients with gastrointestinal cancer without a high rate of adverse reaction, which may be due to high content of MCT and protein in EN.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of General Surgery, Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xinying
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Liya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Ping
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Xinxin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Guohao
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yanong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yuxiu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jieshou
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D020250:Postoperative Nausea and Vomiting; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000378:metabolism; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins; D011228:Prealbumin; D014280:Triglycerides