Original article
Assessment of energy intake and total energy expenditure in a series
of patients who have undergone oesophagectomy following
neoadjuvant treatment
Jessica Ericson
a, b, *
, Lars Lundell
a, d
, Mats Lindblad
a, c
, Fredrik Klevebro
a, c
,
Magnus Nilsson
a, c
, Ioannis Rouvelas
a, c
a
Division of Surgery, Department of Clinical Science, Intervention and Technology (CLINTEC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
b
Medical Unit Clinical Nutrition, Stockholm, Sweden
c
Department of Upper Abdominal Diseases, Karolinska University Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden
d
Department of Surgery, Odense University Hospital, Odense, Denmark
article info
Article history:
Received 22 August 2019
Accepted 9 March 2020
Keywords:
Neoadjuvant treatment
Oesophagectomy
Energy intake
Physical activity level
Total energy expenditure
Sense wear armband
summary
Background: Assessment of malnutrition and its consequences are important aspects of curative man-
agement of patients with oesophageal cancer. The objective of the present study was to assess total
energy expenditure using SenseWear Armband Mini® (SWA) as well as energy and protein intake in
oesophageal cancer patients submitted to modern multimodality therapy.
Material and methods: Twenty patients were recruited at the time of diagnosis of oesophageal cancer. All
patients were amenable for curative intended treatment. Baseline measurement was conducted before
start of neoadjuvant treatment and three additional measurements were performed: after the comple-
tion of neoadjuvant treatment, at three, and six months postoperatively. The patients carried the SWA for
three consecutive days at each measurement period, allowing the measurement of the free-living total
energy expenditure and physical activity level. Alongside, a three-day complete food diary was recorded
for calculation of energy and protein intake. Body weight was measured at all four occasions and weight
six months prior to baseline was reported by the patients.
Results: Body weight steadily and significantly decreased during the preoperative phase (p ¼ 0.005 and
p ¼ 0.007 at 6 months before baseline and after neoadjuvant treatment, respectively). However, the
greatest weight loss was observed at 3 months after surgery (mean ¼ 5.6 kg, p 0.001), where after it
stabilised. Mean energy intake per day was 2033 (1730e2336) kcal at baseline, and increased to 2236
(2012e2461) kcal (p ¼ 0.012) after completion of neoadjuvant treatment. At 3 months after oesopha-
gectomy the daily energy intake decreased to 1759 (1459e2059) kcal (p ¼ 0.155) compared to baseline
and regained baseline levels first at 6 months postoperatively. The same trend was observed regarding
protein intake. The mean total daily energy expenditure was 2259 (2077e2440) kcal at baseline with no
change after the neoadjuvant oncological treatment. A significant reduction in energy expenditure to
1929 (1754e2105) kcal (p ¼ 0.004) compared to baseline was recorded at 3 months post oesophagec-
tomy, which remained unchanged at six months after surgery.
Conclusion: With the objective to achieve and maintain energy balance, focus must be on the patients'
energy intake already at the time of diagnosis, with regular follow up throughout the neoadjuvant
therapy phase and during the first 3 postoperative months.
© 2020 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights
reserved.
1. Introduction
Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) or perioperative
chemotherapy (pCT) together with oesophagectomy has become
the standard practice in curative intended treatment of
* Corresponding author. Medical Unit Clinical Nutrition M 98, Karolinska Uni-
versity Hospital, 141 86 Stockholm, Sweden.
E-mail address: jessica.ericson@ki.se (J. Ericson).
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN
journal homepage: http://www.clinicalnutritionespen.com
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clnesp.2020.03.007
2405-4577/© 2020 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Clinical Nutrition ESPEN 37 (2020) 121e128