Parenteral nutrition supplemented with glutamine in patients undergoing bone marrow transplantation.

UNLABELLED: The objective of the study is to evaluate if the administration of glutamine in parenteral nutrition (PN) solution reduces the need for antibiotics, the risk of liver disease and the duration of hospital stay in bone marrow transplantation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Retrospective observational study in 68 adult patients undergoing a bone marrow transplantation who required PN for mucositis. Of these patients, 40 were given PN with 2,063 +/- 294 kcal/day and 98.6 +/- 13.9 g of amino acids/day, supplemented with Lglutamine (13.5-27 g/day), and 28 were given isocaloric (1,966 +/- 307 kcal/day) and isonitrogenated (92 +/- 16.3 g of amino acids/day) PN with standard glutamine-free amino acid solution. Antibiotic consumption and duration of hospital stay were analysed. Of the total cohort, hepatic profile was studied at the beginning and on day 7 of PN in 50 patients without liver disease at the start of PN. RESULTS: There were no differences between both groups with regard to total number and duration of antibiotics prescribed or hospital stay. Of the 50 patients without hepatic alterations at the beginning of PN, 2 patients in the control group and 5 in the glutamine group developed a hepatic profile compatible with liver disease secondary to PN. Comparing both groups, there were no differences in hepatic enzyme values. CONCLUSIONS: Supplementation with PN glutamine does not improve the variables studied, but the actual clinical use of glutamine in this haematological treatment should be studied further and its potential advantages identified.

[Is older age a limit factor when considering health resources? The case of home parenteral nutrition]. / ¿Es la edad un factor limitante en la distribución de recursos?: Nutrición parenteral domiciliaria en el paciente anciano.

UNLABELLED: Some bioethicists consider older age as a limiting factor for receiving special medical care. Older adults comprise the majority of home enteral nutrition patients (neoplams of the head, neck, and upper gastrointestinal tract neuromuscular swallowing disorders, dementia, etc) On the contrary, there are very few data on Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN) in the elderly. We report these of a 75 years old man affected from a severe short bowel syndrome due to mesenteric thrombosis. After a hospital stay of two months he was sent home on HPN. His current caregiver was her wife, a 72 year old woman suffering from incipient Parkinson's disease. HPN lasted for 11 years and was stopped because of clinical deterioration. During this time he presented 5 catheter- related infections (1.3 episodes/1,000 days). 5 catheters were used (average length 788 days). He was hospitalized four times because of HPN complications. Functional status was maintained along almost all the length of HPN. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of complications in this patient was similar to other groups of age receiving HPN. The technique was not burdensome for the family. Older age cannot be consider, by itself a limiting factor when receiving long term nutritional support.

Peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis in a patient with a history of Hirschsprung's disease. The role of home parenteral nutrition.

A case of peritoneal mucinous carcinomatosis in a patient who suffered a Hirschsprung disease 30 year before is presented. TH present condition caused an irreversible intestinal obstruction and the patients received home parenteral nutrition without unremarkable complications longer than two years.

Carbohydrates and insulin resistance in clinical nutrition: Recommendations from the ESPEN expert group.

Growing evidence underscores the important role of glycemic control in health and recovery from illness. Carbohydrate ingestion in the diet or administration in nutritional support is mandatory, but carbohydrate intake can adversely affect major body organs and tissues if resulting plasma glucose becomes too high, too low, or highly variable. Plasma glucose control is especially important for patients with conditions such as diabetes or metabolic stress resulting from critical illness or surgery. These patients are particularly in need of glycemic management to help lessen glycemic variability and its negative health consequences when nutritional support is administered. Here we report on recent findings and emerging trends in the field based on an ESPEN workshop held in Venice, Italy, 8-9 November 2015. Evidence was discussed on pathophysiology, clinical impact, and nutritional recommendations for carbohydrate utilization and management in nutritional support. The main conclusions were: a) excess glucose and fructose availability may exacerbate metabolic complications in skeletal muscle, adipose tissue, and liver and can result in negative clinical impact; b) low-glycemic index and high-fiber diets, including specialty products for nutritional support, may provide metabolic and clinical benefits in individuals with obesity, insulin resistance, and diabetes; c) in acute conditions such as surgery and critical illness, insulin resistance and elevated circulating glucose levels have a negative impact on patient outcomes and should be prevented through nutritional and/or pharmacological intervention. In such acute settings, efforts should be implemented towards defining optimal plasma glucose targets, avoiding excessive plasma glucose variability, and optimizing glucose control relative to nutritional support.

ESPEN Guidelines on Enteral Nutrition: Gastroenterology.

Undernutrition as well as specific nutrient deficiencies have been described in patients with Crohn's disease (CD), ulcerative colitis (UC) and short bowel syndrome (SBS). The present guideline gives evidence-based recommendations for the indication, application and type of formula of enteral nutrition (EN) (oral nutritional supplements (ONS) or tube feeding (TF)) in these patients. It was developed in an interdisciplinary consensus-based process in accordance with officially accepted standards and is based on all relevant publications since 1985. ONS and/or TF in addition to normal food is indicated in undernourished patients with CD or CU to improve nutritional status. In active CD EN is the first line therapy in children and should be used as sole therapy in adults mainly when treatment with corticosteroids is not feasible. No significant differences have been shown in the effects of free amino acid, peptide-based and whole protein formulae for TF. In remission ONS is recommended only in steroid dependent patients in CD. In patients with SBS TF should be introduced in the adaptation phase and should be changed with progressing adaptation to ONS in addition to normal food.

Trends in adult home parenteral nutrition in Spain. 1992-2003.

UNLABELLED: There are very few data on trends in prevalence in home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in different countries. NADYA is the committee of the Spanish Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition that takes care of the Spanish registry since 1992. METHOD: A 12-year retrospective study of the activity of the registry was performed. The data were extracted from the NADYA's database as well as from the publications and abstracts reported on a yearly basis since 1992. Data on years 1993 and 1997-9 were not available. RESULTS: Yearly prevalence has more than doubled to 86 patients since 1992. The number of reporting centres went up to 17 in 2003 (10 centres in 1992) As an average, the number of patients per centre is 5. The prevalence in 2003 was 2.15 patients per million inhabitants. There are trends to increasing age at the time of the first indication (42 years in 1992; 51 in 2003). Ischemic and thrombotic vascular diseases were the most common underlying diagnosis in adults. Tunnelled central venous catheters were chosen in 2/3 of the patients. Only around 17% of the patients received support from home delivery companies (11% in 1992) There were more than 1 complication per patient and year, mostly HPN-related. CONCLUSIONS: We found a steadily increase in the number of reported patients and reporting centres over time. Prevalence went up to 2.15 patients per million inhabitants in 2003, still far behind the figures from other western countries. The NADYA registry allows a close follow-up of the evolution of HPN in Spain.

[Should hydration and artificial nutrition be accepted as a palliative care?]. / Se considera la hidratación y la nutrición artificial como un cuidado paliativo?

BACKGROUND: Ethical considerations are becoming more and more common in clinical practice. There is no unanimous agreement on which measures should be deemed as basic care, specially regarding hydration and artificial nutrition. AIM: To know the opinion of lay people and health professionals, stratified according to their university degree, about which palliative measures, including hydration and artificial nutrition, should be judged as palliative care. METHODS: A descriptive transversal study has been designed to know the opinion of 256 subjects: 91 users of the National Health System (NHS), 80 nurses, 47 pharmacists and 38 physicians. A questionnaire examined which of the following measures should be considered as palliative care: hygiene, analgesia, pressure ulcer care, position change, sedation, oxygen administration, urinary catheter, hydration, enteral and parenteral nutrition. RESULTS: More than 50% of the participants think that all the proposed measures can be considered as a palliative care, except parenteral nutrition. There is unanimous agreement to accept analgesia, pressure ulcer care, position change and enteraL nutrition as basic care, but there is disagreement in relation to hygiene (p = 0.000), sedation (p = 0.005), oxygen administration (p = 0.007), urinary catheter (p = 0.011) and parenteral nutrition (p = 0.000). There were not differences of opinion after adjusting for age, sex, religious beliefs, and length of professional experience among the individuals that answered the questionnaire. CONCLUSION: There is no agreement on which measures should be considered as palliative care. Opinions differ regarding hygiene, sedation, oxygen administration, urinary catheterisation and parenteral nutrition. In comparison to enteral nutrition, many responders believe that parenteral nutrition is a therapeutic option. The opinions shown in this questionnaire were independent from the demographic characteristics of the subjects that answered it.

Current use of parenteral nutrition in a pediatric hospital. Comparison to the practise 8 years ago.

UNLABELLED: Parenteral nutrition (PN) has become a mainstay in the treatment of critically ill children, and in the management of extremely premature newborns. We analyse the changes in the profile of pediatric PN in our institution during the last decade. METHOD: The clinical record of all patients under 16 who received PN in 1994 and 2002 were reviewed. Epidemiological data as well as composition of the solutions were recorded. Student t test and Chi-square were used for comparisons as appropriate. p value < 0.05 was considered as statistically significant. RESULTS: 194 patients received PN in 1994 (123 neonates and 71 children); 186 in 2002 (112 neonates and 74 children). The percentage of inpatients who received PN was 10.7% in 1994 vs 3.7% in 2002 in neonates; 1% in 1994 vs 1.3% in 2002, in infants and children. Gastrointestinal surgery in infants and children and extreme prematurity in newborns were the most frequent indication. All neonates received tailored PN solutions while it was standardised in almost 60% of children. Internal jugular vein in children and peripherally inserted central venous catheters in neonates were the most usual vascular access. Length of PN was 10 +/- 8.7 days in 1994 vs 9.2 +/- 8.2 in 2002 in neonates; 15.2 +/- 14.8 days in 1994 vs 11.0 +/- 14.9 in 2002 in infants and children. 21% of the children presented at least one complication due to PN. CONCLUSIONS: There have been very few changes in the use as well as in the profile of the PN practise during the last decade. Gastrointestinal surgery and prematurity were the most frequent indications.

Individualized measurement of disease-related malnutrition's costs.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Disease-related malnutrition has a significant economic impact in hospitals, but accurate measurements of these costs have rarely been reported. The aim of this study is to calculate the actual costs of disease-related malnutrition in hospitals, taking into account every cost that patients generate during their hospital stay. METHODS: Patients admitted to medical wards were included in this study. Nutritional evaluation was carried out by two methods (Nutritional Risk Screening 2002 and Short Nutritional Assessment Questionnaire) at admission and/or at discharge. Hospitalization costs were measured for each patient individually, considering the cost of the bed, the Intensive Care Unit, the physicians' services, the laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures, and the drug costs. Differences in costs between malnourished patients and non-malnourished patients were calculated. RESULTS: Malnourished patients incurred higher costs than non-malnourished ones. The cost increase for malnourished patients ranged between 45% and 102%. The nutritional status accounted for most of this increase. The most outstanding difference in patients' costs was between those patients who maintained their nutritional status, either well or malnourished, during their hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Disease-related malnutrition clearly has an impact on the cost of hospital care provision, particularly in malnourished patients who do not improve their nutritional status during their hospital stays. Individualized cost analyses are needed to identify the real costs of malnutrition.

AGREEMENT BETWEEN DIFFERENT EQUATIONS TO ESTIMATE OSMOLARITY OF PARENTERAL NUTRITION SOLUTIONS.

BACKGROUND: our aim was to measure the osmolality of several PN formulas at different component concentrations to determine if equations described in literature to calculate osmolarity accurately predict osmolalality in other experimental conditions different than these used to develop them. METHODS: osmolality of 12 different types of PN solutions, 9 for central and 3 for peripheral perfusion were measured by using freezing point depression in cross-sectional study. We evaluated the agreement (Pearson correlation test) and differential bias between measured osmolality and calculated osmolarity for three different equations described in the literature: Pereira Da Silva, ASPEN Practice Manual and ASPEN guidelines. RESULTS: mean ± SD osmolality of PN solutions was 1789 ± 256 (range 1 540 - 2 372) and 751 ± 64 mOsm/kg (range 689 - 817) for central and peripheral infusion, respectively. The osmolality of PN formulations was mainly due to glucose (r = 0.975) and amino acids (r = 0.948). All studied equations had a good correlation in the bivariate analysis (p = 0.000). All equations had a trend to underestimate the osmolality compared with the measured value. However, ASPEN guidelines equation overestimated the osmolality for peripheral PN. CONCLUSIONS: measurement of osmolality of peripheral PN solutions is important to reduce the risk of phlebitis. The different equations described previously show a good correlation between them although in general underestimate the osmolality.

Objetivo: nuestro objetivo era medir la osmolaridad de varias fórmulas de nutrición parenteral (NP) compuestas por diferentes componentes para determinar si las ecuaciones para calcular la osmolaridad de la solución, descritas en la literatura, predicen su osmolalidad en la práctica clínica. Método: se midió mediante osmometría la osmolalidad de 12 fórmulas de NP diferentes: 9 para acceso venoso central y 3 para acceso periférico, en un estudio transversal. Se analizó el acuerdo (test de correlación de Pearson) y las diferencias entre la osmolalidad medida y la osmolaridad calculada mediante tres fórmulas diferentes: ecuación de Pereira Da Silva, ecuación del manual de práctica clínica de ASPEN y ecuación de las guías de ASPEN. Resultados: la media ± desviación estándar de las soluciones era 1.789 ± 256 (rango 1.540 ­ 2.372) y 751 ± 64 mOsm/kg (rango 689 ­ 817) para perfusión central y periférica, respectivamente. La osmolalidad era debida principalmente a la glucosa (r = 0,975) y a los aminoacidos (r = 0,948). Todas las ecuaciones presentaban una buena correlación en el análisis bivariante (p = 0,000). Todas las ecuaciones tendían a infraestimar la osmolalidad, en comparación con el valor medido. Sin embargo, la ecuación de las guías de la ASPEN sobreestimaba la osmolalidad de las NP periféricas. Conclusiones: conocer la osmolaridad de la solución de NP periférica es importante para reducir el riesgo de flebitis. Las diferentes ecuaciones descritas en la literatura muestran una buena correlación entre ellas, aunque en general infraestiman la osmolalidad.

Clinical management of hyperglycaemic patients receiving total parenteral nutrition.

We evaluated the course of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) therapy in patients with hyperglycaemia. We studied 1) incidence of hyperglycaemia, 2) amount of glucose and insulin provided and 3) incidence of metabolic problems in patients receiving TPN who required insulin to attain metabolic control. The group included 91 patients, 38 women (64 +/- 15 years) and 53 men (64 +/- 12 years), who developed glycaemia higher than 200 mg/dl. Nine patients had a previous diagnosis of IDDM, 36 NIDDM and 46 secondary hyperglycaemia.. Total caloric requirements were initially supplied at 132 +/- 20% the basal energy expenditure (Harris-Benedict formula), and 1.4 +/- 0.3 g/kg of amino-acids. Initially, TPN provided 150-200 g/day of glucose (2.1 mg/kg/min). Regular insulin was added to the bag. The annual incidence of hyperglycaemia was estimated to be 121 per 1000 patients. Mean insulin requirements were 50 U/day (25 to 150 U/day), 0.7 +/- 0.3 U/kg. Comparing with prehospitalization insulin dose, 22% needed similar doses, and 11% lower doses. IDDM patients needed 1.7 times their pre-admission dose (1-4.5 times). The ratio of insulin:glucose in TPN was 0.3 +/- 0.1 U/g (0.1-1.2 U/g). Patients with renal failure had similar insulin requirements (56 +/- 26 U/day) than patients with normal renal function (49 +/- 19 U/day). None of the patients developed glycemic complications. In conclusion, diabetic patients receiving TPN have an acceptable metabolic control if individualized prescriptions and supplemental insulin are used.

Home parenteral nutrition in adults: a multicentre survey in Europe in 1993.

A retrospective survey was performed in 1994, involving 496 adult home parenteral nutrition (HPN) cases, newly enrolled in the year 1993 from 13 European countries from 75 centres. From the 8 countries having registered more than 80% of cases (423 patients), incidence and prevalence ranged from 0.2 to 4.6 and 0.3 to 12.2 patients/10(6) population/year. In the patients studied, the diagnosis was cancer (42%), Crohn's disease (15%), vascular diseases (13%), radiation enteritis (8%), AIDS (4%) and other nonmalignant non-AIDS diseases (18%). Short bowel syndrome and intestinal obstruction were the two major indications for HPN in 31% and 22%, respectively. Seventy-three percent of the centres had a nutrition team. HPN was administered through a tunnelled venous central catheter in 73%, cyclical nocturnal infusions were used in 90% of patients, and intravenous feeding was the sole source of nutrition in 33%. Only 44% undertook HPN unaided. The present report indicates that cancer has now become the main indication for HPN in Europe; there was, however, a heterogeneous distribution of diseases amongst the reporting countries. The observed 9 (6-12)-month probability of survival was poor in AIDS (n = 8; 12%) and cancer patients (n = 78; 29%) but better for the other HPN indications (n = 115; 92%).

Home parenteral nutrition in adults: a european multicentre survey in 1997. ESPEN-Home Artificial Nutrition Working Group.

A retrospective survey on home parenteral nutrition (HPN) in Europe was performed from January to December 1997. Data were compared to a similar study performed in 1993. A questionnaire of HPN practice was designed by the members of the ESPEN-HAN group. This involved adult patients (older than 16 years) newly registered in an HPN program between 1 January and 31 December 1997 and included: number of patients, underlying diseases and a 6-12 month outcome. Incidence and prevalence (at 1.1.1998) of adult HPN were calculated according to the estimated total population in 1997 for the countries in which more than 80% of HPN patients were reported.A total of 494 patients were registered in 73 centres from nine countries (Belgium (B), Denmark (D), France (F), Poland (P), Spain (S), Sweden (Sw), United Kingdom (UK), The Netherlands (N) and Germany (G). The underlying diseases for HPN in 494 patients were cancer (39%), Crohn's (19%), vascular diseases (15%), radiation enteritis (7%), AIDS (2%), other diseases with intestinal failure (18%). Incidence (patients/million inhabitants/year) were in N (3), F. (2.9), D. (2.8), B. (2.6), UK (1. 2), S (0.7) and P (0.36), respectively. Prevalence were in D. (12.7). U.K. (3.7), N. (3.7), F (3.6), B (3.0), P (1.1), S (0.65). After this 6-12 months follow-up (n=284), the mortality was respectively 4% in Crohn's disease, 13% in vascular diseases, 16% in others, 21% in radiaton enteritis, 34% in AIDS, 74% in cancer. Incidences and prevalences modestly increased in these seven European countries in 1997 in comparison to 1993. The percentages of underlying diseases in these countries remained similar except for AIDS that significantly decreased (from 7% to 2%). Outcomes did not significantly differ in the 4-year period except for AIDS (34% instead of 88% mortality) and could have been related to newer, more efficacious therapy.

Evaluation of nonglucose carbohydrates in parenteral nutrition for diabetic patients.

OBJECTIVE: There is little information on the advantages of nonglucose carbohydrates in total parenteral nutrition (TPN) for diabetic patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate glycemic control and insulin requirements in diabetic patients who received TPN with different sources of carbohydrates, and to determine whether insulin requirements are different when septic and non-septic diabetic patients are studied. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One-hundred and thirty-eight patients were randomly divided into two groups receiving either glucose (G), n=71, or glucose-fructose-xylitol 2:1:1 (GFX), n=67. There were no differences between the demographic or anthropometric characteristics of the groups, nor between the patients with diabetes mellitus type 1 and type 2, nor the initial TPN composition. Acceptable glycemic control was considered when glycemia reached <200 mg/dl. RESULTS: Glycemic control was attained in 79.7% of patients (74.6 vs 85.1%), in the same period of treatment. At the end of treatment, insulin requirements were not different (45+/-19 vs 45+/-26 UI/day) in both groups, while similar amounts of carbohydrates (191+/-36 vs 187+/-45 g/day) were infused. The ratio insulin/body weight and insulin/carbohydrates were equal in both groups. In the GFX group nonseptic and septic patients needed less and more insulin, respectively, than their counterparts in the G group. No major adverse events related to carbohydrate infusions were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Either G or GFX could be used in TPN for diabetic patients, providing glycemic control in most cases with similar insulin requirements. GFX mixtures were slightly more beneficial to attain glycemic control in nonseptic patients, but septic diabetic patients had higher insulin needs in this group.

Pituitary-thyroid function in patients with septic shock and its relation with outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To study the time course of thyroid function abnormalities and their relation to outcome in patients with septic shock. DESIGN: Prospective study in a cohort of consecutive patients. SETTING: Intensive Care Unit in a University Hospital. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We studied 27 patients (mean age 50 +/- 19 years, Apache II score 18.4 +/- 5.2, 15 survivors) diagnosed of septic shock. Total T4 (T4) and total T3 (T3) (RIA) were determined on days 1 and 5 after admission. We also measured TSH (ultrasensitive RIA) at 08.00, 20.00 and 01.00 hours (on days 1 and 5), and the TSH response to TRH (400 microg intravenous) on days 2 and 6. Data are mean +/- SD. RESULTS: Whereas low thyroid hormones concentrations were present on day 1 in all patients, only survivors presented a significant increase in T3 and T4 on day 5. Basal TSH levels and the area under the curve of the TSH response to TRH on day 2 were significantly higher in survivors than in non survivors (0.89 +/- 0.63 vs. 0.34 +/- 0.42 microIU/ml, and 229 + 157 vs. 101 + 101). The normal nocturnal (01.00 hr) surge of TSH (the difference between TSH concentrations at 8 am and at 1 am) was abolished in both survivors and non survivors on day 1 but it was recovered on day 5 only in survivors. CONCLUSIONS: Our data indicate that patients with septic shock present an altered hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis, and that survivors thyroid function differs from that of non survivors shortly after diagnosis. Survivors are characterised by a greater TSH response to TRH, indicating a less deranged hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. Thyroid function improves in survivors, but not in non survivors, during the course of their illness.

[Home parenteral nutrition. A six-year combined program (adult and pediatric patients)]. / Nutrición parenteral domiciliaria. Experiencia de un programa combinado (adultos-niños) a lo largo de 6 años.

BACKGROUND: To describe the outcomes of an adult-pediatric home parenteral nutrition (HPN) program. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Retrospective protocol between 1993 and 1999. RESULTS: Sixteen adults (average 45.7 years) and eight children (3.1 years) were included in the program. Mean length of parenteral nutrition was 507 (SD: 624) and 155 (SD: 129) days respectively. Total follow-up time was 8,119 days for adults and 1,242 for children. Cancer was the main diagnosis in adults and intractable diarrhea in children. Central venous catheter related infections were the most usual complication (0.63 and 1.2 episodes/patient/year). There were no deceases due to the HPN in the period of study. CONCLUSIONS: HPN is an effective and safe technique, although prevalence and incidence in Spain are low.

[Obesity]. / Obesidad.

Obesity is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by the presence of a positive energy balance over time that leads to a deposit of fat considered to be excessive with regard to that considered normal. Obesity is more often associated with medical and surgical complications than in people with a normal body weight. Its prevalence is increasing in the Western world and it is one of the main public health problems. In the last years there have been important advances in the understanding of the genetic factors related to obesity. However, there are other factors of an environmental, cultural, hormonal, or psychological origin at the root of this problem. In most cases the diagnosis of obesity is obvious, but before beginning a treatment it is necessary to carry out an individual assessment of the characteristics of the clinical history, physical examination, and laboratory data. Reasonable objectives for weight loss should be established in function of the age, complications, and previous attempts at loosing weight. The treatment measures basically consist of adequating the nutrition to the individual's needs, increasing the physical activity, and changing the life habits. A pharmacological or surgical treatment may be a support measure to these measures.

[Effect of total parenteral nutrition on bone metabolism]. / Efecto de la nutrición parenteral total en el metabolismo óseo.

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN) for a prolonged period of time can be associated with bone pain and osteomalacia. We performed a study on the phosphorus/calcium metabolism and serum levels of osteocalcin (BGP), a protein proposed as constituting the bone turnover index in 31 patients receiving TPN (age 57 +/- 14 years, 22 males and 9 females) diagnosed as suffering from pathology of the digestive tract or geno-urinary pathology. The duration of the TPN was from 9.1 +/- 6.6 days (range 2-31 days). We observed and increase of FA (178 +/- 101 U/l), with a significant decrease of BGP (2.2 +/- 2.0 ng/ml vs. 3.7 +/- 1.3 ng/ml in controls; p less than 0.001). Serum levels of phosphorus and calcium corrected according to proteins were within normal limits. Hypercalciuria was detected in the urine (328 +/- 278 mg/24 hours), and phosphaturia (607 +/- 522 mg/24 hours). Based on the BGP results, we can conclude that patients subjected to TPN for a short period of time undergo a decrease in bone turnover.

[Home parenteral nutrition in patients with advanced cancer: experience of a single centre over ten years]. / Nutrición parenteral domiciliaria en pacientes con cáncer avanzado: experiencia en un solo centro a lo largo de diez años.

UNLABELLED: The use of Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN) in patients with advanced cancer without the possibility of curative treatment continues to be a controversial subject entailing a considerable emotional burden. Nonetheless, this group of patients constitutes the main indication for HPN in many programmes. GOAL: To present the characteristics of a series of patients included on an HPN programme over the last ten years. METHOD: Retrospective study of the case histories of the 11 patients who received HPN over this period. The demographic and clinical details were noted along with their complications and evolution for comparison with those of a control group of patients with benign disease receiving HPN over the same period. For the comparisons, Student's t test and the chi-squared test were used as and when indicated. Results were considered statistically significant if p < 0.05. RESULTS: Eleven patients received HPN, nine of them because of an irresoluble intestinal obstruction and two because of a high flow fistula. The mean age at the start of HPN was 50.8 +/- 12.7 years versus 37.3 +/- 17.2 years for the group with benign disease (p < 0.05). The mean duration of HPN was 71.05 +/- 217 days in the first group, notably less than the second (387.15 +/- 995.85; p < 0.05), with a range between 5 and 760 days. The patients received the infusion through a previously implanted subcutaneous reservoir (n = 9) and on two occasions, electively, through a tunnelled catheter. The infection rate was higher in the group with cancer (0.34 episodes per patient and 1,000 days on HPN) than in the group with benign disease (0.08 episodes; p < 0.05). HPN was suspended in only one of the patients more than 5 days prior to death due to clinical deterioration. Two patients required admission due to a complication associated with the technique. In both cases, a fungal infection of the blood made it necessary to withdraw the catheter. The quality of life, measured by means of an activity scale, was similar at the start of HPN in both groups. None of the patients included on the programme is still alive. CONCLUSIONS: HPN offers patients with advanced cancer and severe intestinal dysfunction the possibility of an at-home treatment with a low complication rate. If we take into account the short mean duration of HPN, inclusion on the programme must be assessed individually and regularly revised.