Our eight-year experience in home parenteral nutrition for adult patients

Abstract

Background: home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is a technique that allows increasing the survival of patients with intestinal failure. Aim: to study the evolution of home parenteral nutrition over the last 8 years in our center. Methods: a retrospective study of adult patients receiving HPN between 2011 and 2019. Study variables are expressed as frequency and mean ± SD (range). Parametric, non-parametric tests, and a survival analysis (p < 0.05) were applied. Results: the use of HPN showed a substantial increase (up to 154 %). A total of 76 patients received HPN, 76.32 % had an oncological pathology, and consequently the main indication was intestinal obstruction (56.58 %). Average duration was 11.12 ± 23.38 months (0.17-139.17). In all, 44.74 % experienced one or several complications, primarily catheter-related bacteremia (CRB) (27.63 %), and metabolic disorders (40.79 %), mainly of hepatic type. CRB rate was 2.25/1,000 days of HPN. The main cause of death was the underlying disease. Overall survival in case of benign conditions at 1, 3, and 5 years was 65.5 %, 53.6 %, and 40.2 %, respectively. In case of malignancy overall survival at 3 months was 55.1 %, at 6 months 28.7 %, and at 1 years 19.1 %. Conclusions: oncological disease was the primary condition that led to an indication in our center. It is the underlying pathology what determines prognosis, which must be taken into account at the time of selecting patients. The BRC rate obtained is susceptible to improvement, so it is essential that health education and a correct technique be encouraged.