Nutrient digestion and absorption during chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis in the rat
PhD ceremony: Ms. M. Fijlstra, 16.15 uur, Academiegebouw, Broerstraat 5, Groningen
Dissertastion: Nutrient digestion and absorption during chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucositis in the rat
Promotor(s): prof. E.H.H.M Rings, prof. H.J. Verkade, prof. E.S.J.M. de Bont
Faculty: Medical Sciences
Intestinal mucositis (damage to the intestinal mucous membrane) is one of the most frequently occurring and debilitating side effects of anti-cancer treatment in children and adults. Mucositis causes reduced food intake, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea and weight loss, and may lead to reduced survival of cancer patients. Directed nutritional support might improve the survival rate and intestinal recovery of mucositis patients. However, it is unknown how patients with mucositis are optimally fed: enteral feeding (via the intestine; by eating or using a feeding tube) may be inappropriate for reasons of nutrient maldigestion and malabsorption during mucositis, while parenteral feeding (directly via the blood) bypasses potential intestinal malfunction but is quite invasive and carries an increased risk of infection. We determined nutrient digestion and absorption during mucositis in a chemotherapy-induced mucositis rat model. We showed that only simple sugars (glucose) and small proteins (amino acids) could be absorbed normally during mucositis, as the result of their continuous enteral administration. Unfortunately, such a feeding regimen of glucose and amino acids in daily amounts was often poorly tolerated by the rats. However, tolerated amounts of enteral feeding caused accelerated intestinal recovery. Parenteral feeding, in contrast to enteral feeding, was well tolerated and prevented weight loss during mucositis. Our findings in the rat indicate that the optimal feeding strategy during mucositis consists of a combination of parenteral feeding to prevent weight loss, and tolerated amounts of continuous enteral feeding to optimize intestinal recovery from mucositis. Further studies in patients with mucositis are being conducted to define optimal feeding strategies.
| Last modified: | 13 March 2020 12.59 a.m. |
More news
-
17 July 2024
Veni-grants for ten researchers in Groningen
The Dutch Research Council (NWO) has awarded a Veni grant of up to €320,000 each to ten researchers of the University of Groningen and the UMCG. The Veni grants are designed for outstanding researchers who have recently gained a PhD.
-
16 July 2024
Medicine still subjects to male bias
Aranka Ballering studied the course of illness in people with common symptoms. One of the most striking findings to emerge from her research was that on average, women have a different – and less extensive – course of illness than men.
-
10 June 2024
Swarming around a skyscraper
Every two weeks, UG Makers puts the spotlight on a researcher who has created something tangible, ranging from homemade measuring equipment for academic research to small or larger products that can change our daily lives. That is how UG...