title: Differences in quality standards when prescribing nutritional support: Differences between specialist and non-specialist physicians.
abstract: Adequate nutritional support includes many different aspects, but poor understanding of clinical nutrition by health care professionales often results in an inadequate prescription.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study was conducted to compare enteral and parenteral nutritional support plans prescribed by specialist and non-specialist physicians.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Non-specialist physicians recorded anthropometric data from only 13.3% of patients, and none of them performed nutritional assessments. Protein amounts provided by non-specialist physicians were lower than estimated based on ESPEN (10.29g of nitrogen vs 14.62; P<.001). Differences were not statistically significant in the specialist group (14.88g of nitrogen; P=.072). Calorie and glutamine provision and laboratory controls prescribed by specialists were significantly closer to those recommended by clinical guidelines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nutritional support prescribed by specialists in endocrinology and nutrition at San Pedro de Alcántara Hospital was closer to clinical practice guideline standards and of higher quality as compared to that prescribed by non-specialists.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Complejo Hospitalario de Cáceres, Cáceres, España. Electronic address: jesusmoranlopez@yahoo.es.
authors.forename: Jesús Manuel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Morán López
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Valdecilla, Santander, España.
authors.forename: María
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Piedra León
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Complejo Hospitalario de Cáceres, Cáceres, España.
authors.forename: Fidel Jesús
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Enciso Izquierdo
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Infanta Cristina , Badajoz, España.
authors.forename: Luis Miguel
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Luengo Pérez
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Endocrinología y Nutrición, Hospital Valdecilla, Santander, España.
authors.forename: José Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Amado Señaris
mesh_terms: D002149:Energy Intake; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000592:standards; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000592:standards*; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000592:standards; D010820:Physicians; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013038:Specialization
keywords: Nutritional support; Prescripción; Prescription; Soporte nutricional