ASPEN Nutrition Science & Practice Conference

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Glossary

1

Nutrition support

The delivery of specialised enteral or parenteral nutrition to patients who cannot meet their needs through ordinary oral intake, usually coordinated by a multidisciplinary team of dietitian, physician, pharmacist and nurse.

2

Enteral nutrition (EN)

Tube feeding that delivers formula directly into the gastrointestinal tract through a nasogastric, nasojejunal, gastrostomy or jejunostomy tube. It is preferred when the gut works but oral intake is inadequate or unsafe.

3

Parenteral nutrition (PN)

Intravenous delivery of amino acids, dextrose, lipids, electrolytes and micronutrients that bypasses the gut, used in intestinal failure, severe malabsorption, or when enteral feeding is contraindicated or cannot meet requirements.

4

Central parenteral nutrition (often called TPN)

PN infused through a central venous catheter because the formula is hyperosmolar. It requires sterile compounding, strict catheter care and regular metabolic monitoring.

5

Peripheral parenteral nutrition (PPN)

Short-term, lower-osmolarity PN given through a peripheral vein for partial support in patients who do not need or cannot yet receive central access.

6

Malnutrition

A state of deficient or imbalanced nutrient intake or absorption. In hospital practice it is linked to longer length of stay, more complications and higher cost, which is why screening and assessment sit at the centre of clinical nutrition programmes.

7

GLIM criteria

The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition diagnostic framework: at least one phenotypic criterion (unintentional weight loss, low BMI, reduced muscle mass) plus at least one etiologic criterion (reduced intake or assimilation, inflammation).

8

Nutrition-focused physical exam (NFPE)

A bedside assessment of muscle mass, subcutaneous fat, fluid status and micronutrient deficiency signs in hair, skin, nails, eyes and mouth, used alongside history and screening tools.

9

Refeeding syndrome

A potentially life-threatening electrolyte shift, classically hypophosphataemia, after calories are reintroduced in a malnourished patient. Management is a cautious calorie ramp-up, thiamine and close electrolyte monitoring.

10

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)

The US credential held by dietitians who complete accredited education, supervised practice and a national registration exam. Clinical nutrition meeting faculty and much of the attending audience hold it.

11

Nutrition support team (NST)

A multidisciplinary service that manages complex enteral and parenteral cases, standardises ordering and monitoring, and is associated with fewer catheter-related and metabolic complications.

12

Home enteral and home parenteral nutrition

Enteral or parenteral feeding continued outside hospital for chronic intestinal failure or swallowing disorders, arranged through home infusion providers and followed in outpatient clinics.

13

Micronutrient monitoring

Tracking vitamins and trace elements such as thiamine, zinc, selenium, copper and iron in restrictive eaters, bariatric patients and long-term PN users, and adjusting supplementation accordingly.

14

Indirect calorimetry

A bedside measurement of oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production used to estimate resting energy expenditure, helping clinicians avoid overfeeding or underfeeding in critical illness.