Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33588932›Full record

ArticleBMC nutrition2021

Lessons learned from a randomized controlled trial on a home delivered meal service in advanced cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy: a pilot study.

Vera IJmker-Hemink, Nora Lize, Sandra Beijer, Natasja Raijmakers, Geert Wanten, Manon van den Berg

Registry-linked trialAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC nutrition, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03382171 (The Impact of FoodforCare at Home on Quality of Life of Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.), which is not on this map. Cited by 2 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT03382171 nacompletednot on this map

The Impact of FoodforCare at Home on Quality of Life of Cancer Patients Undergoing Chemotherapy.

TypeinterventionalSponsorRadboud University Medical CenterRan2017 to 2020Enrolled148ConditionsCancer, MalnutritionArmsFoodforCare at home
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Recommending ultra-processed oral nutrition supplements for unintentional weight loss: Are there risks?Nutrition in clinical practice : official publication of the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition · 2023
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Vera IJmker-HeminkDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology - Dietetics and Intestinal Failure, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. Vera.IJmkerHemink@radboudumc.nl.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0145-6144
Nora LizeNetherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Sandra BeijerNetherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Natasja RaijmakersNetherlands Comprehensive Cancer Organisation, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Geert WantenDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Manon van den BergDepartment of Gastroenterology and Hepatology - Dietetics and Intestinal Failure, Radboudumc, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPerforming a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in the field of nutrition is challenging and success highly depends on understanding the factors that influence recruitment and dropout of participants. Our aim was to assess the feasibility of a RCT that evaluated a home delivered meal service in advanced cancer patients while receiving chemotherapy.

methodsThis pilot RCT aimed to enroll 20 participants who were randomized into the home delivered meal service group or usual care group. Study procedures took place before chemotherapy (T0), 3 weeks after T0 (T1), 6 weeks after T0 (T2) and 3 months after T2 (T3). All information regarding recruitment, dropout and study procedures was recorded. Patient satisfaction was assessed by in-depth interviews.

resultsOver 7 months, 20 of 41 approached patients (49%) were included, followed by a dropout rate of 35%. At baseline, hand grip strength (n = 8/16), the Short Physical Performance Battery (n = 12/16) and nutritional intake (n = 8/16) had the highest rate of missing values. Study procedures were not experienced as burdensome and planning of these procedures in line with fixed hospital appointments contributed to this low burden. Keeping the symptom diary was mentioned as being burdensome.

conclusionsIt is feasible to conduct a RCT on a home delivered meal service in advanced cancer patients during chemotherapy, although recruitment is challenging. Close contact of patients with recruiting personnel is essential to sustain motivation. To increase compliance with the study protocol it is important to carefully instruct participants on how to complete questionnaires and to emphasize to use these in the communication with their practitioners.

trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT03382171 .

Indexed as

CancerChemotherapyNutritional interventionPilot studyQualitative interviews

Identifiers

PMID33588932
PMCPMC7885490

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Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.