TOLERABILITY, COMPLIANCE, AND PRODUCT EVALUATION OF A PRE-THICKENED ORAL NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENT FOR DISEASE RELATED MALNUTRITION IN PATIENTS WITH DYSPHAGIA

Background: Oropharyngeal dysphagia is a prevalent risk factor for malnutrition in older patients and both conditions are related to poor outcome. For the management of (risk of) malnutrition in patients with oropharyngeal dysphagia pre-thickened oral nutritional supplements are available. Objective: The objective of the study is to describe tolerance parameters (stool frequency and incidence and intensity of gastrointestinal symptoms), study product intake (compliance), product appreciation and product properties of a pre-thickened oral nutritional supplement compared to a manually-thickened standard oral nutritional supplement. Design: A randomized, open label, controlled, parallel group study. Setting: participants were recruited through nine general practices in Ireland, one nursing home in The Netherlands, and one hospital in Germany. Participants: Fifty patients requiring oral nutritional support (twenty-four of fifty cases (48%) with dysphagia) were divided into two groups: test group (N = 27) and control group (N = 23). Intervention: During four weeks the test group received a ready-to-use, low volume (125 mL), and energy dense pre-thickened oral nutritional supplement, and the control group a manually-thickened iso-caloric oral nutritional supplement (200 mL) with a similar viscosity. Measurements: Compliance and stool frequency were recorded daily, evaluation of the product appreciation and properties and gastrointestinal tolerability were assessed with questionnaires. Results: Incidence and intensity of gastrointestinal symptoms was not statistically different between groups. Pre-thickened oral nutritional supplement scored significantly better on compliance in week 4 (p = 0.019), on thickness appreciation by patients (day 14, p = 0.035) and on product properties evaluation by carers (appearance, preparation time, ease of preparation and change in thickness, all p < 0.001) compared to the manually-thickened ONS. Conclusion: These results substantiate the use of pre-thickened oral nutritional supplement for the dietary management of patients in need of nutritional support and with oropharyngeal dysphagia.