Correlation of the Usage of Anti-Diarrheal Medications with Antibiotics and Other Medications in Tube Feeding Patients

Abstract

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: To recognize the association of medications with the occurrence of diarrhea in the tube feeding population. The occurrence of diarrhea in the tube feeding patient population has been linked to medications. In clinical practice, the prescription of anti-diarrheal medications (ADM) are given based upon subjective reports from patients and/or caregivers. We prospectively gathered data on the usage of ADM, antibiotics, and other medications that have anti-motility, pro-motility, and cathartic effects to evaluate the correlation of drug treatments to the usage of ADM. There were 60 patients who were randomized to receive Criticare HN or Osmolite HN tube feeding. Data were analyzed on the 45 patients who were on tube feeding for a week after the target rate was achieved. Total tube feeding days was an average of 12 days. The results were as follows: ADM n = 18 No ADM n = 27 P-Value Antibiotic therapy 18 23 0.14 Cathartic and/or Pro-motility drugs 13 19 1.0 Anti-motility drugs 17 14 0.75 Criticare HN 9 11 0.56 Osmolite HN 9 16 0.56 Conclusion: It appears that antibiotic therapy does not necessarily result in the usage of ADM in hospitalized tube feeding patients. The need of ADM were not averted by drugs that have anti-motility effects. Further investigation is warranted on the diarrhea-causing effects of certain antibiotics.