A comparison between oral and nasogastric nutritional supplements in malnourished patients

There is a common perception that malnutrition is an inevitable manifestation of illness, that oral nutritional supplements are not taken or reduce the consumption of oral diet, and that nasogastric feeding is poorly tolerated. This study assessed the efficacy of supplemental enteral feeding on the nutritional status of malnourished patients, to compare oral supplements (OS) with overnight supplemental nasogastric feeding (NG) on nutritional status and to determine the effect of nutritional supplements on oral diet. Malnourished hospital patients were randomized to one of three groups: control (C), OS, or NG. All patients had access to hospital diet. Supplements were prescribed to meet estimated nutritional needs. Nutritional status was recorded at the start and the end of the feeding period. The total nutritional intake was recorded. Weight gain occurred in 64% of the supplemented patients, whereas 73% of the controls lost weight with mean weight changes of +2.9% OS, +3.3% NG, and −2.5% C. There was no difference in the mean energy intake from food in the three groups. There were no documented complications of OS and three minor complications of NG. Both methods of supplementation allow weight gain without significantly affecting spontaneous oral intake.