Home enteral nutrition in children: a 10 year experience with 304 pediatric patients
2012
Background & aims: Home enteral nutrition is used
increasingly in pediatric populations. Our objective was
to describe the profile of pediatric patients requiring this
treatment.
Material and methods: All patients under 18 years old
requiring treatment with home enteral nutrition between
January 1995 and December 2004 were analyzed retrospectively.
Results: 304 patients were studied (157 boys). The
mean age at the start of treatment was 4.02 ± 4.09 years,
median of 2.5 years; 28% of all patients were under 1
year. The main indications were oncological disease in 91
patients (29.9%) and digestive diseases in 84 (27.6%).
There were significant differences depending on the clinical
diagnosis for the start age, type of access, infusion
regime and formula prescribed. Nutrients were delivered
by nasogastric tube in 218 patients (71.7%). Overnight
enteral nutrition was the preferred infusion regime in 155
patients (51%). Adult or pediatric polymeric formulas
were mostly prescribed in 190 patients (62.5%). The
mean treatment duration was 306 ± 544 days.
Conclusion: In our series, enteral support usually
begins at an early age. Its characteristics varied depending
on patient pathology. Knowledge of the pediatric
patient profile is important to design the most effective
strategy for home enteral nutrition.
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