Effect of use of arginine-containing enteral product on muscle loss and nutritional status compared to standard enteral product in geriatric patients

This study was conducted to examine the relationship between sarcopenia and sarcopenia-related parameters in elderly individuals using enteral products containing arginine compared to standard enteral product. The study group consisted of 66 hospitalized patients using enteral products containing arginine (33 patients) and using standard enteral products (33 patients) who were consulted to the Nutrition Unit of the Health Sciences University Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital between May 2021 and August 2022. Demographic characteristics and eating habits were determined by applying a questionnaire form to the patients participating in the study by face-to-face interviews by the researcher. In addition, anthropometric measurements of the patients at the beginning and end of the study were made by the researcher and their routinely followed biochemical findings were determined. The study was planned to have a follow-up period of at least 5 days. Gait speed, chair stand test, grip strength measurement, bioelectrical impedance measurements used in the diagnosis of sarcopenia were made at the beginning and end of the study in all patients. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was determined according to the guideline of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Elderly People published in 2019. The patients were asked to write down the foods they consumed every day, the amount of the remaining energy needed to be taken from the enteral product was stated to the patient, and the enteral product consumption status was followed. Basal metabolic rates were calculated using Harris-Benedict. In the results; body weight, upper middle arm circumference, calf circumference, lean body mass decreased and fat percentage increased in both study groups (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between grip strength measurements (p>0.05). Serum albumin levels of the patients decreased in both groups, but this difference was not significant (p>0.05). Patients using enteral products containing arginine had higher daily dietary protein intake and zinc intake (p<0.05). CRP values decreased statistically significantly in the group using enteral products containing arginine (p<0.05). There was no statistically significant change in the sarcopenia diagnosis groups of the patients at the beginning and end of the study for both study groups (p>0.05). In conclusion; It has been determined that hospitalized elderly individuals are at risk in terms of nutrition and sarcopenia risk, and it is difficult to prevent muscle loss due to age-related disease burden, multiple drug use and catabolic process. It is important to provide nutritional support to patients in the early period and to achieve nutritional goals. More studies with longer duration and larger sample size are needed to determine the effect of arginine on sarcopenia.