ietary Counseling Versus Dietary Supplements for Malnutrition in hronic Pancreatitis: A Randomized Controlled Trial

C i c c c t ackground & Aims: Up to 50% of patients with chronic ancreatitis (CP) are malnourished. There are limited data n the role of dietary intervention in improving the nutriional status of such patients. The aim was to compare the fficacy of medium chain triglyceride (MCT)– enriched ommercial dietary supplements with dietary counseling or homemade food in the management of malnutrition in atients with CP. Methods: In a randomized controlled rial, consecutive undernourished patients with CP (body ass index [BMI] <18.5 kg/m2) at a tertiary care hospital ere randomized to receive either dietary counseling for egular homemade food or commercial MCT-enriched ditary supplements for a period of 3 months to compensate or the dietary calorie deficit. All patients received standard anagement for CP including pancreatic enzyme suppleents. Primary outcome measure was improvement in MI. Results: Sixty malnourished patients with CP were andomized to counseling group (n 29; mean age, 32 10 ears; male, 83%) and supplementation group (n 31; ean age, 28 10 years; male, 84%). BMI increased in both he counseling group and supplementation group (17.2 .7 vs 18.1 1.8 kg/m2, P .001; 16.7 1.6 vs 18.2 1.6 g/m2, P .001). There were similar improvements in riceps skinfold thickness, dietary intake, fecal fat, and pain core during a period of 3 months in both groups. There as, however, no significant difference between the couneling and supplementation groups with regard to any of he outcome measures. Conclusions: Dietary counseling or a balanced homemade diet is as good as commercial ood supplements in improving malnutrition in patients ith CP.