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Malnutrition & refeeding syndrome

Malnutritio et syndroma realimentationis · Podvýživa a refeeding syndrom

What it is

Not enough energy or protein — and refeeding too fast can kill.

Symptoms & signs

  • Weight loss
  • muscle wasting
  • poor wound healing
  • frequent infections
  • fatigue
  • swelling in severe protein deficiency

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Very drowsy, cold or fitting
  • call 112 / 911 now Breathlessness, swelling or confusion after starting to eat again
  • see a doctor soon Swollen feet or legs, or losing weight fast
  • see a doctor soon Child not gaining weight or refusing food

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Nutritional screening (MUST)
  • oral supplements
  • enteral or parenteral feeding
  • thiamine before refeeding
  • phosphate monitoring

Natural & lifestyle

  • Small frequent energy-dense meals
  • protein at every meal
  • treat causes (dentition, swallowing, poverty, depression)
  • resistance exercise

Emerging & experimental

  • Muscle-targeted nutrition
  • home enteral feeding programmes

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Fermented foods and probiotics in recovering children — small studies of better weight gain early / small studies
  • 'Detox' fasting — worsens malnutrition anecdotal / traditional

ICD codes