title: Effect of Early Individualized Dietary Counseling on Weight Loss, Complications, and Length of Hospital Stay in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer: A Comparative Study.
abstract: Patients with head and neck cancer (HNC) are at risk for undernutrition. Dietary counseling during treatment has positive effects on nutritional status and quality of life, however, the effects of dietary counseling started before initiation of treatment are currently unknown. Therefore we assessed the effect of early individualized dietary counseling (DC) on weight loss, major complications, and length of hospital stay (LOS) in patients with HNC. Ninety-five newly diagnosed HNC patients with (risk of) undernutrition receiving DC were compared to 95 matched HNC patients receiving usual nutritional care (UC). Difference in weight change over time was analyzed by generalized estimating equations (GEE). Differences in complications and LOS were studied by Pearson chi-squared and student's t-tests. Weight change between diagnosis and end of treatment was -6.0 ± 6.9% (DC) and -5.4 ± 5.7% (UC; GEE: -0.4kg, 95% confidence interval: -1.2 to 0.5; P = 0.44). Less DC patients experienced overall postoperative complications (44%/70%, P = 0.04). No effect on major postoperative or (chemo)radiotherapy complications or LOS was found. This study showed a lower prevalence of overall postoperative complications in HNC patients receiving DC but could not demonstrate an effect on weight loss, other complications, and LOS.
authors: a Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Internal Medicine , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.|b Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Sports and Nutrition , Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors: Eva
authors: E
authors: Leistra
authors: c Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors: Simone E J
authors: SE
authors: Eerenstein
authors: a Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Internal Medicine , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors: Loes H
authors: LH
authors: van Aken
authors: c Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors: Femke
authors: F
authors: Jansen
authors: a Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Internal Medicine , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.|d Department of Nutrition, Sports, and Health , HAN University of Applied Sciences , Nijmegen , The Netherlands.
authors: Marian A E
authors: MA
authors: de van der Schueren
authors: e Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors: Jos W R
authors: JW
authors: Twisk
authors: e Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, EMGO Institute for Health and Care Research , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.|f Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences , VU University , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.
authors: Marjolein
authors: M
authors: Visser
authors: a Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Internal Medicine , VU University Medical Center , Amsterdam , The Netherlands.|g Academy of Health , The Hague University of Applied Sciences , The Hague , The Netherlands.
authors: Jacqueline A E
authors: JA
authors: Langius
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D059248:Chemoradiotherapy / Q000009:adverse effects; D003376:Counseling / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000517:prevention & control; D057285:Precision Medicine / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss