Effect of a self-made dietary therapy formula on the improvement of enteral feeding intolerance in patients with laryngeal cancer after surgery: A randomized controlled trial.

PURPOSE

Enteral feeding intolerance (EFI) is a common complication following laryngeal cancer surgery. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) dietary therapy has shown potential in improving gastrointestinal function and enteral feeding tolerance. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a self-made TCM dietary therapy formula in improving EFI and explored its role in EFI management.

METHODS

Patients with laryngeal cancer were randomly assigned to the intervention (n = 38) or control group (n = 42). The control group received standard enteral nutrition, whereas the intervention group received standard enteral nutrition plus 25 g/day of self-made dietary therapy formula. Primary outcomes included EFI incidence, enteral nutrition infusion rate, and time to first bowel movement. Secondary outcomes were serum total protein and prealbumin levels.

RESULTS

Compared to the control group, the intervention group had a lower incidence of EFI (50.0% vs 71.4%, P = 0.049), a higher mean enteral nutrition infusion rate (81.24% vs 73.77%, P = 0.009), and a shorter time to first bowel movement (82.34 ± 37.34 h vs 101.51 ± 42.95 h, P = 0.037). By postoperative day 7, the intervention group also exhibited higher serum total protein and prealbumin levels (67.30 ± 7.03 g/L vs 62.94 ± 5.35 g/L; 206.50 ± 58.06 mg/L vs 162.22 ± 42.50 mg/L; P = 0.040 and 0.012, respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

This TCM-based, food-grade dietary therapy formula was associated with a reduction in EFI incidence, improved tolerance to enteral nutrition, and better postoperative nutritional status in patients with laryngeal cancer.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( www.chictr.org.cn ) under the identifier ChiCTR2400093790 (11/12/2024). Retrospectively registered.