ESPEN
Nutricia Satellite Symposium 2020 ESPEN Virtual Congress.
This year’s Nutricia symposium provided a platform for experts in the field to share their deep insights, experience and research in nutritional management after severe illness which is highly relevant for optimising nutritional care of patients who have suffered severe COVID-19 infection. In addition, new data and research in patients with COVID-19 were highlighted. The symposium was co-chaired by Professor Paul Wischmeyer (Durham, USA) and Professor Pere Clave (Barcelona, Spain).
Topic 1:”ICU recovery begins the day of ICU admission”: meeting nutritional targets from ICU to rehabilitation with insights from LEEP-COVID data.
Professor Wischmeyer (MD, FASPEN, FCCM, EDIC | Durham, USA) opened the symposium with his presentation entitled “ICU recovery begins the day of ICU admission”: meeting nutritional targets from ICU to rehabilitation with insights from LEEP-COVID dataLEEP-data. This presentation included characterization of patients with COVID-19 and nutritional challenges along the patient journey, referencing new data and addressing the key steps and interventions to be taken to ensure that patients are in the best nutritional state at each phase of the patient journey.
Topic 2: Dysphagia: addressing an often-neglected issue.
Professor Clave (MD, PhD | Barcelona, Spain) focused on a topic that is frequently overlooked with his presentation Dysphagia: addressing an often-neglected issue addressing issue. He introduced the issue of dysphagia after ICU and provided guidance on management, with lessons learned from patients with COVID-19 infection. He shared new data on dysphagia in hospitalized patients with COVID-19 and emphasised the importance of paying attention to this issue, which is a major contributory cause of malnutrition.
Topic 3: Implementing optimal nutritional care after discharge: how to make this happen?
Dr Peter Collins (PhD, APD, RD | Gold Coast, Australia) addressed Implementing optimal nutritional care after discharge: how to make this happen? Discharge from hospital is a key moment when nutritional care may be disrupted – ensuring the continuum of care is crucial for ensuring the best patient outcomes. This presentation detailed current challenges and gaps and how they can be addressed, including attention on the role of malnutrition care pathways, multi-disciplinary teams and the role of oral nutritional supplements.
Topic 4: The role of muscle-targeted nutritional therapy: new data
Dr Emanuele Cereda (Dr. Emanuele Cereda, MD, PhD | Pavia, Italy) tackled the role and benefits of specialized oral nutritional supplements in his presentation entitled “The role of muscle-targeted nutritional therapy: new data”. This presentation provided insights into why muscle is of critical relevance during the patient journey and showcased new data that illustrated the benefits of high protein whey-based oral nutritional supplements enriched with leucine and vitamin D in older patients undergoing rehabilitation.