Results of clinical trials of a specialized product for enteral nutrition: Nutrigen Low Fat

BACKGROUND: Hereditary disorders of fatty acid oxidation are a group of fermentopathies caused by biallelic mutations in genes encoding enzymes of the mitochondrial β-oxidation cascade of fatty acids. Mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation deficiency is a genetically heterogeneous group of diseases in humans caused by defects in mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation. A common characteristic of all mitochondrial fatty acid β-oxidation disorders is hypoketotic hypoglycemia, resulting from an increased dependence on glucose oxidation and an inability to synthesize ketone bodies from fatty acids. The clinical manifestations of diseases in this group are highly variable. Patients with a defect in the oxidation of long-chain fatty acids are at risk of developing cardiac and skeletal muscle abnormalities, including cardiomyopathy and arrhythmias, which can progress to early death, as well as rhabdomyolysis and exercise intolerance. The optimal composition of Nutrigen Low Fat enteral mixture allows its use in children with intestinal dysfunction and metabolic disorders as a component of nutritional support or the sole source of nutrition.

AIMS: To study the clinical evidence on intestinal insufficiency syndrome in critically ill children, to assess the role of enteral nutrition in intestinal dysfunction prevention and treatment in critically ill patients in the pediatric intensive care unit, and to perform clinical monitoring of young children with inborn errors of fatty acid oxidation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve children aged 3 months to 7 years with digestive dysfunction took part in the study. The study duration was 3 weeks. During the intervention, children received the product Nutrigen Low Fat in accordance with their age and individual nutritional needs. Throughout the study, the children’s nutritional status and the dynamics of digestive dysfunction were taken into account. A clinical trial of the dry complete enteral product Nutrigen Low Fat took place from May to August of 2021. A clinical trial of the product was conducted against a background of generally accepted medical treatment in accordance with the character of the disease. The study design was an observational, longitudinal cohort study.

RESULTS: The dynamics of objective clinical and laboratory data, as well as subjective patient characteristics, indicated an improvement in well-being, physical development, and positive dynamics of blood parameters. The product Nutrigen Low Fat meets the hygienic requirements for the composition and quality of pediatric medical nutrition products and has good organoleptic characteristics. It should be noted that Nutrigen Low Fat is convenient to use because it allows individual selection of the dilution and dosage in accordance with the child’s age and clinical status, has a high biological value (contains easily absorbed fat, with 84% medium-chain triglycerides, and easily digestible milk protein comprised of 60% whey). The product’s gluten-free formula is another advantage.

CONCLUSIONS: All of the above allows us to recommend the use of a complete product, Nutrigen Low Fat, as a supplement to the diet or as the sole source of nutrition. It can be used for oral nutrition (sipping) or tube feeding from birth in children with acute surgical and therapeutic diseases, as well as orphan inborn errors, including fatty acid oxidation errors, with maldigestion and malabsorption syndrome, intoxication, and malnutrition.