The Japanese study (20) evaluated only albumin levels, and
no differences were determined between the PEG and NGT
groups after a 6 month follow-up (n=261). The authors claim
that PEG feeding was effective in albumin preservation. Data
on enteral formula types administered were not clear. The
Brazilian study (2) that involved 79 patients and a follow-up of
11 months, which compared dementia versus other neurological
diseases failed to demonstrate improved nutritional status
or albumin levels. However, a lower survival rate was
determined after 3 and 6 months of follow-up for patients with
poor nutritional status at the beginning of the study (p=0.013
and 0.027, log rank). The authors also determined a lower
survival rate among patients who at any time during the study
presented with albumin levels lower than 3.5 g/dL (p=0.026,
log rank) who had to be readmitted to the hospital (p=0.039,
log rank) and who presented with a pressure sore after 6
months (p=0.001, log rank), whereas patients who had a healed
pressure sore had better survival chances (p=0.007, log rank).