Professional Leadership - Volunteers Wanted for Committees in the Academy

 Medical City Dallas Hospital conducted a pilot study to test the hypothesis that an intensive educaiton program would improve patient compliance and post-transplant outcomes compared to standard care received (printed material given to patients). Oftentimes, patients do not receive adequate education prior to surgery about the life-changing operation they are to undergo. Patients who participated in the intensive, 16-week education program scored better on coping tests, were more physically active and had better knowledge of nutrition than their counterparts who did not participate in the intensive education program.

Williams RV, Zak V, Ravishankar C,et al. Factors affecting growth in infants with single ventricle physiology: a report from the Pediatric Heart Network Infant Single Ventricle Trial.
J Pediatr. 2011 Dec;159(6):1017-22.e2.

Polk and Schwab recently published an excellent article about enterocutaneous and enteroatmospheric fistulas in the October 2011 issue of the World Journal of Surgery. Their article is titled "Metabolic and nutritional support of the enterocutaneous fistula patient: a three-phase approach." They address the history and current management patients with fistulas with a focus on the nutritional management. By breaking down the management of these patients into three phases, they add clarity to a complex clinical scenario. The three phases are: Phase 1 - Diagnosis, resuscitation, and early interval nutrition; Phase 2 - Definition of anatomy, drainage, nutritional assessment and monitoring and feeding access; and Phase 3 Definitive nutritional management.

The House and Senate agreed to extend the Sustainable Growth Rate for Medicare reimbursements, known as the "Doc Fix," for two months. The agreement postponed a 27.4 percent reduction in physician and dietitian reimbursement until March 1.

Members responded to the Academy's call to petition the Obama Administration to urge the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reconsider its ruling excluding registered dietitians from direct billing for intensive behavioral counseling for obesity. Thanks and congratulations to all who responded and put the Academy over the needed 25,000 signatures.

Venick RS, Wozniak LJ,et al. Long-term nutrition and predictors of growth and weight gain following pediatric intestinal transplantation. Transplantation. 2011 Nov 15;92(9):1058-62.

Verbruggen SC, Coss-Bu J, et al. Current recommended parenteral protein intakes do not support protein synthesis in critically ill septic, insulin-resistant adolescents with tight glucose control. Crit Care Med. 2011 Nov;39(11):2518-25.

Check out the November JPEN for a nice overview of fluid and electrolyte management. This can be a challenge for clinicians. This article discusses the importance of developing a plan for fluid and electrolyte management in order to produce safe outcomes. Follow the link below to access the article.

http://pen.sagepub.com/content/35/6/675.abstract

 Join your nutrition support colleagues for A.S.P.E.N.'s premier scientific and practice meeting in Orlando, January 21-24, 2012.  For more information including a program brochure, visit www.nutritioncare.org/ClinicalNutritionWeek/