Prevalence of diabetes, prediabetes, and stress hyperglycemia: insulin therapy and metabolic control in patients on total parenteral nutrition (prospective multicenter study).

OBJECTIVE: The prevalence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders in patients who receive total parenteral nutrition (TPN) is not well known. These disorders can affect the treatment, metabolic control, and prognosis of affected patients. The aims of this study were to determine the prevalence in noncritically ill patients on TPN of diabetes, prediabetes, and stress hyperglycemia; the factors affecting hyperglycemia during TPN; and the insulin therapy provided and the metabolic control achieved. METHODS: We undertook a prospective multicenter study involving 19 Spanish hospitals. Noncritically ill patients who were prescribed TPN were included, and data were collected on demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables (glycated hemoglobin, C-reactive protein [CRP], capillary blood glucose) as well as insulin treatment. RESULTS: The study included 605 patients. Before initiation of TPN, the prevalence of known diabetes was 17.4%, unknown diabetes 4.3%, stress hyperglycemia 7.1%, and prediabetes 27.8%. During TPN therapy, 50.9% of patients had at least one capillary blood glucose of >180 mg/dL. Predisposing factors were age, levels of CRP and glycated hemoglobin, the presence of diabetes, infectious complications, the number of grams of carbohydrates infused, and the administration of glucose-elevating drugs. Most (71.6%) patients were treated with insulin. The mean capillary blood glucose levels during TPN were: known diabetes (178.6 ± 46.5 mg/dL), unknown diabetes (173.9 ± 51.9), prediabetes (136.0 ± 25.4), stress hyperglycemia (146.0 ± 29.3), and normal (123.2 ± 19.9) (P<.001). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders is very high in noncritically ill patients on TPN. These disorders affect insulin treatment and the degree of metabolic control achieved.

Five-year survival and causes of death in patients on home parenteral nutrition for severe chronic and benign intestinal failure.

BACKGROUND & AIM: Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is the primary treatment for chronic intestinal failure (IF). Intestinal transplantation (ITx) is indicated when there is an increased risk of death due to HPN complications or to the underlying disease. Age, pathophysiologic conditions and underlying disease are known predictors of HPN dependency and overall survival. Although the cause of death on HPN is mostly related to underlying disease in these patients, the relationship between mortality and duration of HPN use remains unclear. The purpose of the present study is to describe factors associated with survival and HPN dependency as well as causes of death in adult patients requiring HPN for chronic intestinal failure during the first 5 years of treatment with HPN. METHODS: A multicenter international (European and USA) questionnaire-based retrospective follow-up of a cohort of 472 IF patients who started HPN was conducted between June and December 2000. Study endpoint was either end of 5-year follow-up, weaned-off HPN, ITx, or death on HPN. Data were analyzed for HPN dependence and overall survival using Kaplan-Meier models and log rank tests. RESULTS: The overall survival probability was 88%, 74% and 64% at 1, 3 and 5 years respectively. Survival was inversely related to age (p < .001) and higher in patients with Crohn's disease or chronic idiopathic pseudo-obstruction. A total of 169 (36.5%) patients were weaned-off HPN mainly (80%) within the first year and most frequently in patients with fistulae. Five of the 14 patients who underwent ITx died. By the end of the study, 104 (23%) of patients died on HPN; 65% of deaths occurred within the first 2.5 years of HPN. CONCLUSIONS: Younger ages at HPN initiation and underlying pathologies are significantly predictive of survival on HPN. Risk of death is greatest during the first 2 years of HPN.

Hypoglycemia in noncritically ill patients receiving total parenteral nutrition: a multicenter study. (Study group on the problem of hyperglycemia in parenteral nutrition; Nutrition area of the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition).

OBJECTIVE: Hypoglycemia is a common problem among hospitalized patients. Treatment of hyperglycemia with insulin is potentially associated with an increased risk for hypoglycemia. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence and predictors of hypoglycemia (capillary blood glucose <70 mg/dL) in hospitalized patients receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN). METHODS: This prospective multicenter study involved 19 Spanish hospitals. Noncritically ill adults who were prescribed TPN were included, thus enabling us to collect data on capillary blood glucose and insulin dosage. RESULTS: The study included 605 patients of whom 6.8% (n = 41) had at least one capillary blood glucose <70 mg/dL and 2.6% (n = 16) had symptomatic hypoglycemia. The total number of hypoglycemic episodes per 100 d of TPN was 0.82. In univariate analysis, hypoglycemia was significantly associated with the presence of diabetes, a lower body mass index (BMI), and treatment with intravenous (IV) insulin. Patients with hypoglycemia also had a significantly longer hospital length of stay, PN duration, higher blood glucose variability, and a higher insulin dose. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that a lower BMI, high blood glucose variability, and TPN duration were risk factors for hypoglycemia. Use of IV insulin and blood glucose variability were predictors of symptomatic hypoglycemia. CONCLUSIONS: The occurrence of hypoglycemia in noncritically ill patients receiving PN is low. A lower BMI and a greater blood glucose variability and TPN duration are factors associated with the risk for hypoglycemia. IV insulin and glucose variability were predictors of symptomatic hypoglycemia.

Nutrition-related risk indexes and long-term mortality in noncritically ill inpatients who receive total parenteral nutrition (prospective multicenter study).

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition in hospitalized patients is associated with an increased risk of death, in both the short and the long term. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to determine which nutrition-related risk index predicts long-term mortality better (three years) in patients who receive total parenteral nutrition (TPN). METHODS: This prospective, multicenter study involved noncritically ill patients who were prescribed TPN during hospitalization. Data were collected on Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), Nutritional Risk Index (NRI), Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), body mass index, albumin and prealbumin, as well as long-term mortality. RESULTS: Over the 1- and 3-year follow-up periods, 174 and 244 study subjects (28.8% and 40.3%) respectively, died. Based on the Cox proportional hazards survival model, the nutrition-related risk indexes most strongly associated with mortality were SGA and albumin (<2.5 g/dL) (after adjustment for age, gender, C-reactive protein levels, prior comorbidity, mean capillary blood glucose during TPN infusion, diabetes status prior to TPN, diagnosis, and infectious complications during hospitalization). CONCLUSIONS: The SGA and very low albumin levels are simple tools that predict the risk of long-term mortality better than other tools in noncritically ill patients who receive TPN during hospitalization.

Impact of parenteral nutrition standardization on costs and quality in adult patients.

BACKGROUND: Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a costly therapy that can also be associated with serious complications. Therefore, efforts are focusing on reducing rate of complications, and costs related to PN. OBJECTIVE: The aim was to analyze the effect of the implementation of PN standardization on costs and quality criteria. Secondary aim was to assess the use of individualized PN based on patient's clinical condition. METHODS: We compare the use of PN before and after the implementation of PN standardization. Demographic, clinical and PN characteristics were collected. Costs analysis was performed to study the costs associated to the two different periods. Quality criteria included were: 1) PN administration; 2) nutrition assessment (energy intake between 20-35 kcal/kg/day; protein contribution according to nitrogen balance); 3) safety and complications (hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, hepatic complications, catheter-related infection); 4) global efficacy (as serum albumin increase). Chi-square test was used to compare percentages; logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate the use of customized PN. RESULTS: 296 patients were included with a total of 3,167 PN compounded. During the first period standardized PN use was 47.5% vs 85.7% within the second period (p < 0.05). No differences were found in the quality criteria tested. Use of individualized PN was related to critical care patients, hypertriglyceridemia, renal damage, and long-term PN. Mean costs of the PN decreased a 19.5%. Annual costs savings would be € 86,700. CONCLUSIONS: The use of customized or standard PN has shown to be efficient and flexible to specific demands; however customized PN was significantly more expensive.

Introducción: La nutrición parenteral (NP) es una terapia costosa asociada a serias complicaciones. De manera que muchos de los esfuerzos se centran en reducir éstas complicaciones, así como los costes asociados. Objetivos: Analizar el efecto de la estandarización de la NP en los costes y en indicadores de calidad. El objetivo secundario es estudiar la utilización de NP individualizadas en función de las condiciones clínicas de los pacientes. Métodos: Se compara la utilización de NP antes y después de la estandarización de la NP. Se recogen los datos demográficos, clínicos y características de la NP. Se realiza un análisis de costes asociados a los dos periodos de estudio. Se incluyen los siguientes indicadores de calidad: 1) Administración de NP; 2) Valoración nutricional (aporte calórico 20-35 kcal/kg/día; aporte proteico en función del balance nitrogenado); 3) seguridad y complicaciones (hiperglicemia, hipertrigliceridemia, complicaciones hepáticas, infección de catéter); eficacia global (aumento albúmina sérica). Se utiliza test de chi-cuadrado para comparación de porcentajes, y regresión logística para evaluar la utilización de NP individualizada. Resultados: Se incluyeron 296 pacientes para un total de 3,167 NP. Durante el primer período el uso de NP estandarizada fue del 47,5% frente 85,7% en el segundo (p < 0,05). No se encontraron diferencias en los indicadores de calidad estudiados. La utilización de NP individualizada fue relacionada con pacientes críticos, hipertrigliceridemia y NP de larga duración. El coste medio de NP disminuyó en un 19,5%; pudiendo resultar un ahorro anual de 86,700 . Conclusiones: La utilización de NP individualizadas o estándar ha mostrado ser eficiente y flexible; aunque el coste de la individualizada fue significativamente mayor.

Parenteral nutrition-associated hyperglycemia in non-critically ill inpatients increases the risk of in-hospital mortality (multicenter study).

OBJECTIVE: Hyperglycemia may increase mortality in patients who receive total parenteral nutrition (TPN). However, this has not been well studied in noncritically ill patients (i.e., patients in the nonintensive care unit setting). The aim of this study was to determine whether mean blood glucose level during TPN infusion is associated with increased mortality in noncritically ill hospitalized patients. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: This prospective multicenter study involved 19 Spanish hospitals. Noncritically ill patients who were prescribed TPN were included prospectively, and data were collected on demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables as well as on in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: The study included 605 patients (mean age 63.2 ± 15.7 years). The daily mean TPN values were 1.630 ± 323 kcal, 3.2 ± 0.7 g carbohydrates/kg, 1.26 ± 0.3 g amino acids/kg, and 0.9 ± 0.2 g lipids/kg. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the patients who had mean blood glucose levels >180 mg/dL during the TPN infusion had a risk of mortality that was 5.6 times greater than those with mean blood glucose levels <140 mg/dL (95% CI 1.47-21.4 mg/dL) after adjusting for age, sex, nutritional state, presence of diabetes or hyperglycemia before starting TPN, diagnosis, prior comorbidity, carbohydrates infused, use of steroid therapy, SD of blood glucose level, insulin units supplied, infectious complications, albumin, C-reactive protein, and HbA1c levels. CONCLUSIONS: Hyperglycemia (mean blood glucose level >180 mg/dL) in noncritically ill patients who receive TPN is associated with a higher risk of in-hospital mortality.