[Better control of blood sugar with treatment using half-solid nutrients: a case report]

We report on a 60-year old man who became bedridden after a cerebral infarction and was put on a regimen of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) feedings. He developed such problems as intractable and prolonged diarrhea and leaking of nutrients from his gastric fistula, and also required frequent aspiration of his sputum. We then began treatment using half-solid nutrients. As a result, the diarrhea and leakage disappeared and the number of aspirations performed decreased. This patient has diabetes mellitus, with a high blood sugar level after feeding. After using half-solid nutrients, the peak became lower and appeared later, which is the same pattern seen with immuno-reactive insulin (IRI). This suggests that half-solid nutrients are useful in terms of blood sugar control.