AB015. SOH21AS043. Compliance in preoperative carbohydrate loading for colorectal patients
Colorectal Session

AB015. SOH21AS043. Compliance in preoperative carbohydrate loading for colorectal patients

Daniel Patrick McKenna1, Marie Sheahan2, Morgan McCourt3, Shane Killeen3, Emmet Andrews3

1University College Cork, School of Medicine, Cork, Ireland; 2Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland; 3Department of Surgery, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland

Background: Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) guidelines are now widely used in the care planning of patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. As part of this programme, carbohydrate loading drinks are an essential component of preoperative management. Carbohydrate loading has been shown to decrease postoperative insulin resistance and protein loss, thereby accelerating patients’ recovery. This audit aims to assess compliance to this regime as well as barriers to full adherence in colorectal patients.

Methods: Implementation of the ERAS guidelines was investigated in elective colorectal surgery patients at Cork University Hospital. Thirty suitable subjects were identified postoperatively and a questionnaire was completed. The interactions of subjects with the carbohydrate loading drink protocol were recorded using objective and subjective data points.

Results: Carbohydrate loading drinks were prescribed to 60% of subjects surveyed. Participants had a mean age of 64 years and demonstrated a 63% male preponderance. When a prescription was issued, 83% of subjects began the carbohydrate loading process. Prescriptions for carbohydrate loading were accompanied by an explanation of their importance for 94% of subjects. Of those who engaged with the carbohydrate loading program, subjects consumed on average four of the six drinks and rated the taste 5.3/10. The primary subjective complaints related to drink hyper-viscosity and early satiety. Forty percent of subjects experienced one of these issues.

Conclusions: This audit highlights the issues surrounding compliance to carbohydrate loading in the preoperative setting. Failure to start the loading process and patient adversity to the drinks themselves were the primary barriers to full adherence.

Keywords: Carbohydrate; colorectal; compliance; drink; preoperative

Acknowledgments

Funding: None.

Footnote

Conflicts of Interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Ethical Statement: The authors are accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

Open Access Statement: This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), which permits the non-commercial replication and distribution of the article with the strict proviso that no changes or edits are made and the original work is properly cited (including links to both the formal publication through the relevant DOI and the license). See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/.

doi: 10.21037/map-21-ab015
Cite this abstract as: McKenna DP, Sheahan M, McCourt M, Killeen S, Andrews E. SOH21AS043. Compliance in preoperative carbohydrate loading for colorectal patients. Mesentery Peritoneum 2021;5:AB015.

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