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Background & Objective: Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for atherosclerosis that responded variably to dietary modification of fat and cholesterol. Previous studies in humans have shown that ingestion of lecithin can alter plasma cholesterol and triglyceride but results were different. The current study was designed to investigate the hypocholesterolemic properties of lecithin on patient with hypercholesterolemia. Materials & Methods: Sixty one subjects (27 Male, 34 Female) with mean ages 44±14 years old with hypercholesterolemia, was admitted to Mottahari Health Center(Shiraz), randomly assigned to the case (n=31) and control (n=30) groups. Case group received three lecithin capsules (1200 mg) which contain 420 mg Phosphatidylecoline, daily for six weeks. Subject's weight, Body Mass Index (BMI) and serum lipid concentration were measured at the beginning and the end of six weeks. Results: No significant difference were found in mean weight in case group when compared to control group. Also no significant difference were found in mean BMI in case group when compared to control group. Significantly lower mean serum Total Cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride and significantly higher HDL cholesterol were found in case group. In addition mean serum total cholesterol (P<0.05), LDL cholesterol (P<0.05) and TG (P<0.05) decreased and mean serum HDL-Cholesterol (P<0.05) increases significantly in case group vs. control group. Conclusion: This study showed that lecithin could be considered as effective nutrient useful in dietary treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

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Background & Objective: Nutritional support is a basic process for survival in trauma patients. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the daily nutritional support practice in head injury patients admitted to Neurosurgery Intensive Care Unit.

 

Materials & Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was done on 115 Head injury adults patients who received enteral nutrition for at least 48h in Rasht Poursina hospital during 2005. Nutritional measurements were included the number of patients who received enteral nutrition, the time to initiate nutritional support, amount of initial feeding and clinical outcome were included the duration of mechanical ventilation, ICU and in-hospital length of stay (loss), in-hospital mortality rates .Data was reported as Mean±SD and percent. T-test analysis was used for comparing of calorie and nutrient intakes and requirements.

 

Results: Mean±SD of age patient was 41.22±21.9, 84% of patients received enteral nutrition. The time to feeding and the amount of initial feeding was 4.6±1 day and 52.79±27.83 ml/h respectively. Duration of ventilation was 12±13.4 day and ICU length of stay 18.96±18.3 day, Hospital length of stays 24.47±19.84 day. Mortality rate in six month was 48%. Mean of energy, carbohydrate, fat and protein (P<0.05) intakes had significant differences compared with requirements.

 

Conclusion: The recording process has revealed undesirable feeding practice in head injury patients. Nutritional outcomes would be improved with implementation of standard protocol in neurosurgery intensive care unit.