Refeeding syndrome: What we know and what remains to be explored

• Jhony Alejandro Díaz ^[2] ; Aida María González-Correa ^[1] ; Clara Helena González-Correa ^[2]
  1. [1] Universidad de Caldas

     Universidad de Caldas

     Colombia

     
  2. [2] Department of Basic Health Sciences, Research Group on Nutrition, Metabolism, and Food Security (NUTRIMESA);
• Localización: Nutrición hospitalaria: Órgano oficial de la Sociedad Española de Nutrición Clínica y Metabolismo (SENPE), ISSN-e 1699-5198, ISSN 0212-1611, Vol. 43, Nº. 2, 2026, págs. 410-417
• Idioma: inglés
• DOI: 10.20960/nh.05973
• Títulos paralelos:
  • Síndrome de realimentación: lo que sabemos y lo que falta por explorar
• Texto completo no disponible (Saber más ...)
• Resumen
  • English

    Background: refeeding syndrome (RS) is a serious metabolic complication that occurs upon reintroducing nutrition to malnourished individuals.

    Although formally recognized for more than 70 years, significant gaps in its understanding remain.

    Objective: to conduct a narrative review on the current state of knowledge regarding RS, its recent advances, existing gaps, and future perspectives.

    Methods: an integrative review was conducted using articles published between 2000 and 2024 from international databases, following a systematic methodology of literature search, selection, and analysis.

    Results: the main pathophysiological mechanisms of RS, its multisystemic clinical manifestations, current diagnostic criteria, and risk-based therapeutic strategies were identified. Despite advances in biomarkers and personalized nutrition, challenges remain in early diagnosis, prevention, and treatment, especially in vulnerable populations.

    Conclusions: RS continues to pose a complex clinical challenge that requires standardized protocols, identification of reliable biomarkers, and increased clinical research, particularly in underrepresented regions such as Latin America. Prevention, based on a multidisciplinary approach, is important to reducing its impact.

  • English

    Introducción: el síndrome de realimentación (SR) es una complicación metabólica grave que ocurre tras reintroducir la nutrición en personas desnutridas. Aunque formalmente reconocido desde hace más de 70 años, aún existen importantes lagunas en su comprensión.

    Objetivo: realizar una revisión narrativa sobre el estado actual del conocimiento del SR, sus avances recientes, las brechas existentes y las perspectivas futuras.

    Métodos: se realizó una revisión integrativa de artículos publicados entre 2000 y 2024 en bases de datos internacionales, siguiendo una metodología sistemática de búsqueda, selección y análisis de la literatura.

    Resultados: se identificaron los principales mecanismos fisiopatológicos del SR, sus manifestaciones clínicas multisistémicas, los criterios diagnósticos actuales y las estrategias terapéuticas basadas en el riesgo. A pesar de los avances en términos de biomarcadores y nutrición personalizada, persisten desafíos en el diagnóstico precoz, la prevención y el tratamiento, especialmente en las poblaciones vulnerables.

    Conclusiones: el SR sigue siendo un reto clínico complejo que exige protocolos estandarizados, identificación de biomarcadores fiables y una mayor investigación clínica, especialmente en regiones poco estudiadas como América Latina. La prevención basada en un enfoque multidisciplinario es clave para reducir su impacto

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