The CoCoS Interventional Trial: Caloric Control in Cardiac Surgery Patients

Background: Malnutrition, often presenting as sarcopenic obesity, is widespread among cardiac surgery patients and is independently related to an adverse postoperative evolution or outcome. Nutritional status and energetic needs or deficits in cardiac surgery patients are poorly documented and undernutrition, though readily modifiable, is an often overlooked condition during hospitalization. The investigators aimed to assess whether nutrition therapy (NT) could alter caloric deficit, morbidity, and mortality in patients scheduled for non-emergency coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or aortic valve surgery.

Methods: 351 patients undergoing either elective CABG or aortic valve surgery were studied. Patients receiving NT were enrolled from January 2013 until December 2014. A historical control group consisted of 142 matched patients who underwent either type of surgery. In all patients, the NRS 2002 and MUST score were used for evaluating the preoperative nutritional status. Resting energy expenditure was measured using indirect calorimetry or calculated. A dietician assessed daily caloric intake during the entire hospitalization. Caloric deficits were calculated. According to a predefined flow-chart protocol, nutritional interventions were launched on different time points. Interventions varied from nutritional modifications to oral supplementation, tube feeding, and parenteral nutrition. The primary endpoint was to evaluate whether NT could limit caloric deficit (Intake to Need Deviation). A secondary endpoint addressed the potential effect of NT on morbidity and mortality. Patients were followed for one year after surgery.