Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects women’s menstrual cycles, androgen (male hormones) levels, and cysts on the ovaries. This endocrine disorder has various symptoms, with insulin resistance as a hallmark symptom. Approximately 65-70% of women with PCOS have insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, whether or not they are overweight, obese, or lean (Marshall & Dunaif, 2012). Many women with PCOS struggle to lose weight because their excess weight is related to nutrition, lifestyle factors, and imbalanced hormones. Understanding PCOS as a metabolic disorder with nutritional implications led to investigating the potential benefit of having registered dietitian nutritionists (RDN) as part of the healthcare team of women with PCOS. We developed a survey based on the literature on PCOS, diet/nutrition interventions, and the role of RDNs in the healthcare team of PCOS women of childbearing age. Only childbearing-age women (18–44) diagnosed with PCOS were eligible to complete the survey. The survey was designed as a needs assessment to determine if women with PCOS are routinely referred to RDNs for support; whether or not such support is beneficial; and what gaps in knowledge or misconceptions about nutrition and PCOS exist among participants. Most importantly, it was designed to examine if women understand how nutrition relates to managing their PCOS symptoms and future disease risks. The data from this survey shows the need for RDNs on the healthcare team of women with PCOS and gives us an understanding of nutrition education interventions that could be developed for future studies. Understanding how RDNs play a role in symptom management could lead to a better quality of life for women with PCOS.

No description available.

Problématique: En immunothérapie orale (ITO), le manque de variété et l’aversion envers les doses d’allergènes peuvent compromettre l’adhérence au traitement, toutefois essentielle pour maintenir la désensibilisation. Le but de l’étude était de développer et de valider une nouvelle intervention nutritionnelle pour l’utilisation d’options d’équivalences à domicile. Méthodes: L’intervention a été développée selon les besoins de familles déjà en ITO, exprimés lors d’entrevues préliminaires. De nouveaux patients débutant l’ITO ont ensuite été invités dans un essai contrôlé randomisé pour évaluer l’impact de l’intervention. Les participants (n = 30) ont été randomisés en 3 groupes : A) Consultation nutritionnelle avec outils d’options d’équivalences (intervention complète); B) Consultation nutritionnelle sans les outils (intervention partielle) et C) Groupe contrôle avec l’intervention complète retardée de 4 semaines. La compétence des parents pour le calcul de doses d’équivalences était suivie de façon longitudinale par une série d’exercices pratiques. Résultats: Les résultats aux exercices étaient en moyenne supérieurs avec l’intervention complète (93,3% ± 3,1), comparés au groupe contrôle sans intervention (1,7% ± 1,7, p<0,001). La compétence était maintenue 12 semaines plus tard (résultats de 88,9% ± 4,7). Sans les outils, l'acquisition initiale (résultats de 46,7% ± 7,3) et la rétention après 4 semaines (résultats de 26,7% ± 5,1) étaient inférieures, mais augmentaient après l’ajout des outils (résultats de 83,3% ± 7,5). La satisfaction et la diversité des doses ont également augmenté avec l’intervention complète. Conclusion: Cette étude démontre l'efficacité d'un programme d'intervention nutritionnelle pour accompagner la gestion des doses d'allergènes à domicile. L'utilisation de documents écrits est essentielle pour en obtenir tout le bénéfice. / Background: During oral immunotherapy (OIT), lack of palatability or diversity in daily allergen doses can compromise treatment adherence, which is essential to maintain benefit. The aim of the study was to develop and validate a nutritional intervention program on the use of whole food alternatives for allergen daily dosing during OIT. Methods: The program was initially developed based on preliminary interviews with families already on OIT. Patients beginning OIT were then invited to participate to an open-label randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of the intervention. Participants (n=30) were randomized into 3 arms when they transferred to whole foods: A) Dietitian counselling with supporting documents (full intervention); B) Dietitian counselling without document; C) Control group where full intervention was delayed by 4 weeks. Parent competency was followed longitudinally using a series of practical food dose calculation exercises. Results: Results of exercises at week 4 were in average higher in the full intervention group (93.3% ± 3.1) compared to reference group without intervention (1.7% ± 1.7, p<0.0001). Competency was maintained 12 weeks after intervention (results of 88.9% ±4.7). Without written documents, the initial acquisition (results of 46.7% ±7.3) and retention of competency at 4 weeks (results of 26.7% ±5.1) were lower, but competency was rescued by adding written documents (results of 83.3% ±7.5). Patient satisfaction and food diversity also increased with full intervention. Conclusion: This study demonstrates the efficacy of a nutritional intervention program to help patients and their parents manage their OIT allergen doses. The use of written documents is essential to achieve the full benefit.

No description available.

Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) is an endocrine disorder that affects women’s menstrual cycles and their levels of androgens (male hormones) and cysts on the ovaries. There is a variety of symptoms that come with this endocrine disorder, but insulin resistance is a hallmark symptom of the disorder. It’s shown that 65-70% of women with PCOS have insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia, this is in women that are overweight, obese, or lean (Marshall & Dunaif, 2012). A lot of women with PCOS find themselves struggling to lose weight because their excess weight is tied to lifestyle and not properly nourishing their bodies, as well as their imbalanced hormones. The understanding of PCOS being a metabolic disorder led to the investigation of the need for registered dietitian nutritionists on the health team of women with PCOS could change the quality of life in women. We developed a survey based on the literature available on the topic of PCOS, diet/nutrition interventions, and the role of RDNs in the healthcare team of PCOS women of childbearing age. Only childbearing-age women (18-44) that have been diagnosed with PCOS were allowed to complete the survey. The survey was comprised of three sections and was designed to be a needs assessment on the need for registered dietitian-nutritionists to be included in the healthcare team of PCOS women. The questions were designed also show any gaps of knowledge or misconceptions about nutrition that these women may have. Lastly, it was designed to examine if women understand how nutrition relates to the management of their symptoms of PCOS and future disease risks. The data from this survey will show the need for RDNs in the healthcare team of PCOS women, and give us an understanding of nutrition education and intervention that could be developed for future studies. This understanding of how RDNs could play a role in symptom management could lead to a better quality of life in PCOS women.