[Malnutrition in chronic radiation enteritis. Study of 100 patients]

The nutritional condition of 100 patients with radiation chronic enteritis was studied and compared with that of a consecutive series of 80 patients hospitalized for digestive disorders. The parameters which were measured (body weight, muscular measurement, triceps skinfold creatinine/height index, albumin, transferrin, cholesterol, lymphocytosis), were all significantly lower in patients with radiotherapy enteritis. Anthropometric parameters and lymphocytes were the most affected. The severity of the denutrition was unrelated to the duration of the radiotherapy, the presence of an associated post-radiotherapy involvement of the colon or the urinary tract, a neoplastic recurrence, possible past-history of small bowel surgery; on the contrary, it was related to the extension of actinic lesions on the small bowel and to the presence of subocclusive manifestations. The subsequent evolution at 6 months was most often complicated or unfavorable in patients presenting a severe denutrition. Therefore, denutrition is frequent and severe in the course of post-radiotherapy chronic enteritis and is associated with a more guarded prognosis.