Abstract

JIMENEZ GARCIA, Rafael et al. Nutritional characterization of anorexia-cachexia in pediatric oncologic patient. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 2011, vol.83, n.4, pp.337-345. ISSN 0034-7531.

Introduction: the anorexia-cachexia syndrome may be present in the 80 % of patients diagnosed with advanced cancer and it is a very important mortality risk factor. Objective: to characterize according to some indicators of the nutritional status, the anorexia-cachexia syndrome in a group of children involved by this syndrome with oncologic disease. Methods: a prospective and analytical study was conducted including 42 children diagnosed with anorexia-cachexia syndrome by the Nutritional Support Group together with the Oncology-Hematology of the "Juan Manuel Márquez" Reaching Children Hospital from 2000 to 2009. All the patients in the first consultation underwent after made the diagnosis, a anthropometric profile and a minimal metabolic study (conducted 24 hours after it). At the same time the mother was trained in the fill in of survey by reminder of three days to collect information on the quality and quantity of feeding at week after the first consultation. The form designed by the Nutritional Support Group was applied to know some of the features related to habits and food behavior. Results: in children presenting with lymphoproliferative diseases and in those with solid tumors, there is a considerable nutritional deterioration at moment of diagnosis. There were significant differences in relation to indicators of weight loss percentage and velocity of gain weight, and only the albumin -among study metabolic indicators- had a significant difference. Children presenting with solid tumors ingest less calories than those involved by lymphoproliferative diseases and no significant difference in relation to proteins ingested. Conclusions: there are differences in nutritional characteristics of anorexia-cachexia syndrome according to the type of oncologic disease present in child.

Keywords : anorexia-cachexia; nutrition; nutritional anthropometry.

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