title: Omega-3 fatty acid-, micronutrient-, and probiotic-enriched nutrition helps body weight stabilization in head and neck cancer cachexia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate whether an oral nutritional supplement enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, micronutrients, and probiotics affected body weight (BW) changes, serum albumin and prealbumin levels in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) cachexia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight HNC patients were randomly assigned to receive either an Ethanwell/Ethanzyme (EE) regimen enriched with omega-3 fatty acids, micronutrients, and probiotics, or control (Isocal) for a 3-month period. Analysis of covariance was used to examine the association between BW change and variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with body mass index (BMI) <19 and those receiving the EE regimen consumed fewer daily calories but showed significantly increased BW and maintained higher serum albumin and prealbumin levels than other patients (P<.05). Their BW changes were significantly associated with changes in serum albumin and prealbumin levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EE regimen improved BW as well as serum albumin and prealbumin levels in HNC patients with BMI <19.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hemato-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Keelung & Chang Gung University, College of Medicine, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Kun-Yun
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Hung-Ming
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: John W-C
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Jen-Seng
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Chien-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: Yii-Jenq
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Tsung-Han
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Pei-Hung
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hang
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chang-Jer
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hsia
authors.forename: Cheng-Hsu
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001835:Body Weight; D002100:Cachexia / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality; D015930:Diet Records; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018977:Micronutrients / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008875:Middle Aged; D011228:Prealbumin / Q000032:analysis*; D019936:Probiotics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000032:analysis*; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D018977:Micronutrients; D011228:Prealbumin; D012709:Serum Albumin