Interestingly, the study of Kimyagarov and co-workers
(6) showed that compared with orally-fed dysphagic patients
with dementia, PEG-fed patients received an additional mean
energy intake of 30.5% kcal per day and mean protein intake
of 26%. Despite the fact that there were no improvements on
body composition parameters between groups, when analyzed
at 3 and 6 months after PEG insertion, this procedure was
successful in converting a negative nitrogen balance into
steady state equilibrium. The authors themselves state that it is
possible that longer time periods of nutritional interventions are
needed in order to affect body composition.