[Parenteral nutrition: a utilization study in a general hospital]. / Nutrición parenteral: estudio de utilización en un hospital general.

ABSTRACT

A follow-up of 116 patients initiating parenteral nutrition was performed from December 1990 to March 1991 (average of 18 patients on parenteral nutrition per day, which accounted for a prevalence of 2% compared to total patients admitted), in order to determine a series of characteristics related to the use of parenteral nutrition in our hospital, by means of obtaining concrete, updated information. With regard to the patients, it was observed that 37% of these were suffering from chronic ailments, with more or less incapacitating pathologies. The nutritional state prior to parenteral nutrition was normal in 53% of cases, and the most common reasons for admittance to hospital were neoplasias (27%) and digestive pathology (18%). 42% of the patients were admitted to the ICU and 34% to General Surgery. Indication for parenteral nutrition was intestinal pathology in 23% of cases, followed by pancreatic pathology in 16% of cases and pathology of the oesophagus in 10%; in 45% of cases, it was commenced during the postoperative period. With regard to the composition of the parenteral nutrition, we should mention the use of polyols instead of glucose in 80% of diabetic patients and 75% of patients with pancreatitis, the widespread use of mixture of 50% medium and long chain triglycerides and the use of amino acid solutions with 20% branched chain in most patients, both in situations of stress and maintenance.