Preterm infants rely on optimum external nutritional management and feeding, whereas a healthy fetus in a healthy pregnancy stays in utero until term and receives adequate placental nutrition for the growth of body mass, organs, and particularly the brain. Body composition assessments using Air Displacement Plethysmography (COSMED PEAPOD®) hav...

Effective execution of military missions in cold environments requires highly trained, well-equipped, and operationally ready service members. Understanding the metabolic energetic demands of performing physical work in extreme cold conditions is critical for individual medical readiness of service members. Key characteristics of the cold ope...

Adequate nutrition is of paramount importance in critically ill patients, as it can result in less muscle wasting, decreased length of hospital stay and decreased mortality.  Since metabolism, resting energy expenditure (REE) and nutritional status are changing during the different phases of critical illness, it is difficult to ensure adequat...

Evidence is growing that the individual adjustment of energy targets guided by indirect calorimetry (IC) can improve outcome. With the development of a new generation of devices that are easier to use and rapid, it appears important to share knowledge and expertise that may be used to individualize nutrition care. Despite the focus of this tut...

Many variables obtained during cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), including O2 uptake (VO2) versus heart rate (HR, O2-pulse) and work rate (VO2/Watt), provide quantitative patterns of responses to exercise when left ventricular dysfunction is an effect of myocardial ischemia (MI). Therefore, CPET offers a unique approach to evaluate exerc...

Indirect calorimetry (IC) is the gold standard to monitor energy expenditure in critically ill patients. In several intensive care units (ICUs), nurses are responsible for carrying out the measurements. The aim of this study was to assess nurses' perception of their involvement in IC. This was a prospective survey conducted in the surgical IC...

The Tokyo Olympic games were the only games postponed for a year in peacetime, which will be remembered as the COVID-19 Olympics. No data are currently available on the effect on athlete’s performance. The aim of this study is to examine the Italian Olympic athletes who have undergone the return to play (RTP) protocol after COVID-19 and the...

Although cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is the gold standard to assess exercise capacity, simpler tests (i.e., 6-min walk test, 6MWT) are also commonly used. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cardiorespiratory parameters during CPET and 6MWT in a large, multicentre, heterogeneous population. The investi...

Low energy availability (LEA) describes a state where the energy intake is insufficient to cover the energy costs of both exercise energy expenditure and basal physiological body functions.  LEA has been associated with various physiological consequences, such as reproductive dysfunction. However, the effect of LEA on skeletal muscle protein ...

Studies show that malnutrition is common among cancer patients, ranging from about 20% to more than 70%. It is known that malnutrition that is not managed properly worsens the course of the disease, prolongs the hospital stay, and impacts the quality of life and treatment toxicities.   Malnutrition has many negative effects, therefore indi...

Long COVID is suggested to be present in 14 to 43% of COVID 19-survivors. Literature on this new condition states a need for a multidisciplinary approach including physical exercise and nutrition.  The hypothesis is that an individualized nutritional therapy, combined with individualized physical rehabilitation program may lead to a faster ...

An adequate level of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is critical for firefighters to perform the strenuous and physiologically demanding work of firefighting safely and effectively.   The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been shown to negatively impact CRF in both the acute phase and longer-term following infection. This study aimed...

The study aims to compare ventilatory and cardiorespiratory responses between the COSMED Aquatrainer coupled with the K4b2 and K5 wearable metabolic systems in breath-by-breath mode over a wide range of swimming speeds.   Swimming with the AquaTrainer coupled with K5 (breath-by-breath mode) yields accurate, precise, and repeatable ventilat...

We would like to focus on the new ESPEN Standard Operating Procedures released on July 2023.   The previous 2019 guideline has been shortened and partially revised to provide best medical nutritional therapy to critically ill patients.   In the current guideline, the timing, route, dose and composition of nutrition will be discussed and ...

The energy demands of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) vary depending on pancreatic function, body composition, lung function, and clinical status. In clinical practice, predictive equations are used to determine energy requirements yet do not reliably account for these factors. Research regarding energy requirements during CF pulmon...

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there have been cases of prolonged symptoms, known as post-acute or chronic COVID-19 (long COVID). Detecting underlying causes of persistent symptoms in these patients can be challenging. In this recent report published in International Heart Journal, authors detail a 39-year-old male with excessive bod...

In the last decades, the energy cost assessment provided new insight on shuttle or constant running as training modalities. The aim of this study was to clarify if marathon runners and soccer players present specific energy cost values related to their training experience performing constant and shuttle running. There is growing evi...

Intestinal failure is defined as the inability to absorb the minimum of macro and micronutrients, minerals and vitamins due to a reduction in gut function. In a subpopulation of patients with a dysfunctional gastrointestinal system, treatment with total or supplemental parenteral nutrition is required. The golden standard for the determ...

Critically ill patients with obesity have unique and complex nutritional needs, with clinical practice guidelines conflicting regarding recommended energy targets.   The aim of this systematic review was to describe measured resting energy expenditure (mREE) reported in the literature and compare mREE to predicted energy target...

Indirect calorimetry is increasingly recommended to guide energy delivery in the ICU. This review aims to provide a critical overview of current literature in support of these recommendations.   There is insufficient evidence to ascertain a mortality benefit from indirect calorimetry-guided energy delivery. However, large variation...