Nutrition assessment clinical evaluation

Nutrition assessment is the first step in developing a nutrition care plan and includes a clinical evaluation, anthropometric measurements, and biochemical and immune function studies. 

The decision to initiate PN is based on the assessment that the patient caimot meet his or her nntritional reqnirements with use of the Gl tract. This assessment must include an evaluation of the patient s nutrition status, clinical status, age, and potential risks of initiating therapy, such as infection and other metabolic abnormalities. The appropriate length of time to wait prior to starting PN therapy has not been well defined. ... 

Routine evaluation should include assessment of the clinical condition of the patient, with a focus on nutritional and metabolic effects of the PN... 

Thorough and consistent monitoring of patients receiving PN is necessary to ensure that the desired nutritional outcomes are achieved and to prevent the occurrence of adverse effects or complications. Routine evaluation should include the assessment of the patient s clinical condition with a focus on nutritional and metabolic effects of the PN regimen. Serial documentation of a patient s response to a particular regimen is a helpful guide for determining appropriate adjustments in fluid, electrolyte, and nutrient therapies. 

In 2002 FDA and Fiealth Canada asked the Institute of Medicine s Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) to formulate an expert committee to review and identify gaps in methods currently used to assess the safety of ingredients new to infant formulas. The committee was asked to identify tools to evaluate the safety of these ingredients under intended conditions of use in term infants. This charge included determining the data needed to demonstrate the safety of a component already present in human milk, that is, the effect of the matrix, and the utilization of preclinical and clinical studies and postmarket monitoring in the safety assessment process. FDA also asked the committee to apply its recommendations to the recent addition of LC-PUFAs as new ingredients in infant formulas, and others as appropriate. 

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