The Role of Arginine in Oral Nutritional Supplementation in Preventing or Reducing Complications Following Colorectal Surgery in Patients Who Are Malnourished or at Risk of Malnutrition
The Role of Arginine in Oral Nutritional Supplementation in Preventing or Reducing Complications Following Colorectal Surgery in Patients Who Are Malnourished or at Risk of Malnutrition
NCT ID: NCT07506187 Phase: NA Status: COMPLETED Enrollment: 44 Completion: 2025-07-31
Conditions
Colorectal Cancer, Malnutrition or Risk of Malnutrition, Colorectal Surgery
Interventions
Diaba plus®: A high-protein, high-calorie ONS with no generic equivalent, Atémpero®: An ONS enriched with arginine with no generic equivalent
Summary
The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the role of a high-calorie, high-protein oral nutritional supplement enriched with arginine in the prevention or reduction of post-surgical complications in adult patients undergoing scheduled colorectal surgery who are malnourished or at risk of malnutrition.
The main questions it aims to answer are:
- Does the administration of an arginine-enriched enteral formula decrease the occurrence of post-surgical complications compared to a standard high-protein, high-calorie formula?
- Does the use of an arginine-enriched formula reduce the length of hospital stay and associated healthcare costs?
Researchers will compare a high-protein, high-calorie oral nutritional supplement (ONS) enriched with arginine, omega-3, and nucleotides (Atémpero®) to a standard high-protein, high-calorie ONS without arginine (Diaba plus®) to see if the arginine-enriched formula significantly reduces postoperative complications, such as surgical site infections and dehiscence, as well as the duration of hospital stay.
Participants will:
- Undergo a comprehensive nutritional and clinical assessment, including body composition analysis via bioelectrical impedance and handgrip strength tests.
- Receive individualized oral nutritional supplementation (either the arginine-enriched formula or the standard formula) as part of their preoperative preparation.
- Participate in five follow-up visits (baseline, 24 hours pre-surgery, 24 hours post-surgery, 5 days post-surgery, and 30 days post-surgery) for anthropometric, biochemical, and clinical monitoring.
Primary Outcome
Presence of Postoperative Complications