Year 2018 / Volume 110 / Number 11
Original
Prevalence of the need for sodium intake restriction and the use of laxatives in palliative patients

712-717

DOI: 10.17235/reed.2018.5432/2017

Álvaro Gándara del Castillo, María Herrera Abián, Cristina Vicente Martín, José María Fraile Vicente, Ruth Delgado Juárez,

Abstract
Background: palliative patients usually have diseases that require a restriction of dietary sodium, although the prevalence of this requirement is unknown. Such conditions, combined with constipation, may mean that the use of laxatives with electrolytes should be avoided. Objectives: to ascertain the prevalence of the need to restrict sodium intake in palliative patients and to analyze the prevalence of constipation and the use of laxatives, including those containing sodium. Method: this was a multicenter retrospective, descriptive, cross-sectional, epidemiological study of both inpatients and outpatients over 18 years of age treated at the palliative care clinic (June 2015-March 2016). Demographic and anthropometric characteristics, diseases associated with dietary sodium restriction and treatments administered were recorded. Results: the study sample consisted of 400 palliative patients, with a mean age of 77.8 ± 13.0 years and 52.2% were male. Of these, 68.3% were inpatients and 31.8% were outpatients. Comorbidities requiring low sodium or a sodium-free diet were found in 87.0% (95% CI: 83.3-90.0) of cases. Only 46.5% (95% CI: 41.5-51.5) of patients had been prescribed a low salt diet. It should be noted that 50.5% (95% CI: 45.5-55.5) of patients required a low sodium diet and suffered from constipation. Laxatives (polyethylene glycol or lactulose-rich products [PEG] with electrolytes in 54% of cases) were taken by 53.8% (95% CI: 48.7-58.7) of patients, 52.1% due to constipation and 42.3% as a prevention due to opioid treatment. Conclusions: a high proportion of the study cohort (87%) had some condition that required dietary sodium restriction and at least half the patients had constipation. The use of laxatives to treat or prevent constipation is common in palliative patients. A sodium-free laxative is therefore preferred in these patients.
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Gándara del Castillo Á, Herrera Abián M, Vicente Martín C, Fraile Vicente J, Delgado Juárez R. Prevalence of the need for sodium intake restriction and the use of laxatives in palliative patients. 5432/2017


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Publication history

Received: 21/12/2017

Accepted: 22/05/2018

Online First: 26/07/2018

Published: 30/10/2018

Article revision time: 147 days

Article Online First time: 217 days

Article editing time: 313 days


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