[Importance of compliance in nutritional management. Case report]

Disease-related malnutrition is usually caused by the joint action of the underlying disease itself and dietary deficiency. The consequences of malnutrition, if left untreated, are serious, causing a marked decline in physical and psychological health and function, and an increased rate of complications and decreased effectiveness of the medical treatments. In case a functional gastrointestinal tract is present, the recommended form of nutritional management is the use of oral nutritional supplements. However, just like to any other therapy, compliance to oral nutritional supplements is highly influenced by the consistency, taste, smell, volume consumed, and side effects. The aim of the present case report is to illustrate that nutritional management is a successful and effective treatment option of disease-related malnutrition when the selection of the oral nutritional supplement takes into consideration patient's preferences as well.