Survival period after tube feeding in bedridden older patients

Abstract

Aim: We prospectively studied survival periods after tube feeding. Methods: Participants were 163 bedridden older patients suffering from dysphagia. Results: A wide range of survival periods after tube feeding were observed within half a year without tube feeding after being bedridden. After this initial period, survival periods after tube feeding were limited to approximately half a year. Survival periods after tube feeding were positively proportional to the length of time patients were free from pneumonia after tube feeding. After tube feeding, patients died from pneumonia within half a year, and the frequency of pneumonia was 3.1±2.7 times (mean±SD) before death. Conclusion: Survival periods after tube feeding for less than 1year were primarily determined by being bedridden for more than half a year without tube feeding and once pneumonia occurred; patients who were tube fed did not survive for more than half a year. © 2012 Japan Geriatrics Society.