Effects of post-discharge oral nutrition supplements on body composition, immune status and inflammatory responses in malnourished patients with gastrointestinal cancer after surgery

This study aimed to investigate the effects of 3-week postdischarge oral nutrition supplements (ONS) on nutritional status, body weight (BW), body composition, immune status, and inflammatory responses in malnourished gastrointestinal cancer (GIC) patients after surgery. A retrospective observational study was carried out in a real-life clinical setting from December 2021 to December 2022. Malnourished GIC patients were recommended to receive ONS for up to 3 weeks. Nutritional status was evaluated by a patient-generated subjective global assessment. The changes in the clinical outcomes of BW, body composition, and the status of immunity and inflammation were compared between Week 3 and the baseline, stratified by appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI) and chemotherapy. Among 35 GIC patients, ONS improved the nutritional status of severe malnutrition from 57.1% at baseline to 17.1% at Week 3. Slight increases in BW and skeletal muscle mass were observed among patients with a normal ASMI. Slight increases in fat mass and visceral fat area were found among patients receiving chemotherapy. This ONS program maintained stable immunity and a controlled inflammatory status (C-reactive protein, prognostic nutritional index, and systemic immune–inflammation) among patients, with greater stability observed among those with a normal ASMI. However, these changes did not reach statistical significance. In summary, postdischarge ONS improved nutritional status in malnourished GIC patients after surgery. These findings suggested that short-term postdischarge ONS may contribute to initial progress via improved muscle mass, stabilized immunity, and controlled inflammation, particularly in patients not receiving chemotherapy.