Should we be using enteral tube feeding in patients with functional gastrointestinal disorders? A Retrospective analyses of dietetic inpatient referrals to the Neurogastroenterology service.
Abstract
Abstract
Background: Currently, patients with weight loss and/or inability to maintain nutritional intake orally, because of severe gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms, are often commenced on enteral tube feeding (ETF). However, in practice this rarely reduces their symptoms and they are unable to tolerate the required amount of ETF. This study measured the effectiveness of ETF through (feeding rate, calories received via ETF, any change in weight or body mass index [BMI]) in patients who cannot consume sufficient nutrition orally, due to severe GI symptoms.
Methods: A retrospective study of 28 patients with weight loss and/or unable to maintain oral intake with severe GI symptoms and commenced on ETF from the University College London Hospital (UCLH) under the neurogastroenterology service and referred to the nutrition team from June 19, 2015, to June 2, 2018. Their data have been obtained from electronic and physical medical records, then statistically analyzed.
Key Results: 61.9% of the patients did not meet their nutritional requirements via ETF at discharge, while 38.1% did. The average calories at discharge 1159707 was significantly lower than the average estimated nutritional requirements 1675347, p=.007. No significant difference in the weight or BMI was indicated between admission and discharge (p=0.68, p=0.72, respectively).
Conclusions and Inferences: ETF alone is ineffective in meeting the nutritional requirements to improve the weight and BMI of patients with severe GI symptoms. Future studies on the current topic are recommended, with a longer follow-up period and larger sample size.
Keywords: Enteral Feeding; Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders; Gastrointestinal symptoms; Neurogastroenterology; Malnutrition.