A real-world research about nasogastric feeding and total parenteral nutrition in moderate severe acute pancreatitis

Abstract Previous studies have suggested that enteral nasogastric  nutrition  is more effective and safer for patients with moderate-severe acute pancreatitis (MSAP). The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy and safety of nasogastric feeding (NGF) with total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in patients diagnosed with MSAP. Patients were divided into two groups according to the type of feeding they received (117 in the NGF group and 70 in the TPN group), after which the ratio of transferred to severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), ICU admission rate, mortality, feeding associated complications (diarrhea, abdominal distension, abdominal pain), extra-pancreatic infection, hospitalization time were compared. No difference in the ratio of transferred to SAP and the ICU admission rate was found between groups (2.7% vs. 2.6% and 2.7% vs. 2.6%, respectively). No patient died in any of the two groups. The feeding associated complications (diarrhea, abdominal distension, abdominal pain) were seen more often in the NGF group than in the TPN group, yet no significantly statistical difference was observed. Moreover, the NGF group had significantly shorter hospitalization time (8.9 d vs. 10.9 d, P = 0.032) and a lower rate of extrapancreatic infection compared to the TPN group (2.7% vs. 3.9%; P = 0.025). To sum up, NGF seems to be safer and more effective than TPN when treating patients with MSAP.