This research evaluates the performance of the COSMED® Q-NRG Max metabolic system that measures key parameters like oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide production (VCO2), and energy expenditure. The study compared the system’s results with the Douglas bag method, the gold standard in metabolic testing, and found that the Q-NRG Max provide…

Various factors can cause significant daily fluctuations in energy expenditure among critically ill patients. This nested, prospective study in a trauma surgical ICU aimed to track the progression of energy expenditure over the first 10 days of critical illness and identify the factors influencing it. Indirect calorimetry was conducted on alter…

Compared to full-term infants, preterm infants experience a fat-free mass deficit in the first months of life, which increases their risk of metabolic diseases later on. In this cohort of children born at or before 32 weeks of gestational age or weighing less than 1500 grams, we aimed to assess the relationships between body composition at term e…

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed a substantial strain on healthcare systems, particularly in managing critically ill patients. Accurate measurement of energy expenditure (EE) is essential for optimal nutritional support and improved clinical outcomes in these patients. Indirect calorimetry (IC) is the preferred method for assessing EE, though it…

Preterm infants rely on optimum external nutritional management and feeding, whereas a healthy fetus in a healthy pregnancy stays in utero until term and receives adequate placental nutrition for the growth of body mass, organs, and particularly the brain. Body composition assessments using Air Displacement Plethysmography (COSMED PEAPOD®) have…

Effective execution of military missions in cold environments requires highly trained, well-equipped, and operationally ready service members. Understanding the metabolic energetic demands of performing physical work in extreme cold conditions is critical for individual medical readiness of service members. Key characteristics of the cold opera…

Adequate nutrition is of paramount importance in critically ill patients, as it can result in less muscle wasting, decreased length of hospital stay and decreased mortality.  Since metabolism, resting energy expenditure (REE) and nutritional status are changing during the different phases of critical illness, it is difficult to ensure adequate…

Evidence is growing that the individual adjustment of energy targets guided by indirect calorimetry (IC) can improve outcome. With the development of a new generation of devices that are easier to use and rapid, it appears important to share knowledge and expertise that may be used to individualize nutrition care. Despite the focus of this tutor…

Many variables obtained during cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), including O2 uptake (VO2) versus heart rate (HR, O2-pulse) and work rate (VO2/Watt), provide quantitative patterns of responses to exercise when left ventricular dysfunction is an effect of myocardial ischemia (MI). Therefore, CPET offers a unique approach to evaluate exercis…

Indirect calorimetry (IC) is the gold standard to monitor energy expenditure in critically ill patients. In several intensive care units (ICUs), nurses are responsible for carrying out the measurements. The aim of this study was to assess nurses' perception of their involvement in IC. This was a prospective survey conducted in the surgical ICU…

The Tokyo Olympic games were the only games postponed for a year in peacetime, which will be remembered as the COVID-19 Olympics. No data are currently available on the effect on athlete’s performance. The aim of this study is to examine the Italian Olympic athletes who have undergone the return to play (RTP) protocol after COVID-19 and their…

Although cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) is the gold standard to assess exercise capacity, simpler tests (i.e., 6-min walk test, 6MWT) are also commonly used. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between cardiorespiratory parameters during CPET and 6MWT in a large, multicentre, heterogeneous population. The investiga…

Low energy availability (LEA) describes a state where the energy intake is insufficient to cover the energy costs of both exercise energy expenditure and basal physiological body functions.  LEA has been associated with various physiological consequences, such as reproductive dysfunction. However, the effect of LEA on skeletal muscle protein sy…

Studies show that malnutrition is common among cancer patients, ranging from about 20% to more than 70%. It is known that malnutrition that is not managed properly worsens the course of the disease, prolongs the hospital stay, and impacts the quality of life and treatment toxicities.   Malnutrition has many negative effects, therefore indivi…

Long COVID is suggested to be present in 14 to 43% of COVID 19-survivors. Literature on this new condition states a need for a multidisciplinary approach including physical exercise and nutrition.  The hypothesis is that an individualized nutritional therapy, combined with individualized physical rehabilitation program may lead to a faster im…

An adequate level of cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is critical for firefighters to perform the strenuous and physiologically demanding work of firefighting safely and effectively.   The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been shown to negatively impact CRF in both the acute phase and longer-term following infection. This study aimed t…

The study aims to compare ventilatory and cardiorespiratory responses between the COSMED Aquatrainer coupled with the K4b2 and K5 wearable metabolic systems in breath-by-breath mode over a wide range of swimming speeds.   Swimming with the AquaTrainer coupled with K5 (breath-by-breath mode) yields accurate, precise, and repeatable ventilator…

We would like to focus on the new ESPEN Standard Operating Procedures released on July 2023.   The previous 2019 guideline has been shortened and partially revised to provide best medical nutritional therapy to critically ill patients.   In the current guideline, the timing, route, dose and composition of nutrition will be discussed and re…

The energy demands of individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) vary depending on pancreatic function, body composition, lung function, and clinical status. In clinical practice, predictive equations are used to determine energy requirements yet do not reliably account for these factors. Research regarding energy requirements during CF pulmonar…

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, there have been cases of prolonged symptoms, known as post-acute or chronic COVID-19 (long COVID). Detecting underlying causes of persistent symptoms in these patients can be challenging. In this recent report published in International Heart Journal, authors detail a 39-year-old male with excessive body…