IDDF2021-ABS-0005 Nutrition support team for intestinal failure patients on parenteral nutrition: improving macro-and-micronutrients intake

Abstract

<h3>Background</h3> A nutrition support team (NST) is a multidisciplinary team of physicians, pharmacists, nurses and dietitians, who are responsible for managing patients with complex nutritional needs. NST improves the quality of treatment, clinical outcomes and reduces costs by avoiding unnecessary treatments and simplifying the treatments used. This study reviewed the outcomes achieved after the implementation of an NST on a group of patients who were given parenteral nutrition (PN) at a local acute hospital. <h3>Methods</h3> A total of 81 patient records were retrieved for service evaluation analysis. Among the subjects, 44 of the patients on PN who were seen by the NST from Apr 2017 – Jun 2019 were compared to the historical control of 37 patients on PN who have not received NST or dietitian intervention during the period from Mar 2016 – Mar 2017. Energy, protein, and micro-nutrients consumption adequacy were compared between the intervention and control groups. Patients without body weight and nutrition intake records were excluded. Independent t-test and chi-square test were used to compare the variables between both groups. A p-value of &lt;0.05 was considered statistically significant. <h3>Results</h3> The patients in the intervention group had a significantly higher energy and protein intake than that of the control group (1279±353kcal versus 934±261kcal; 58±16g versus 43±12g). In terms of nutritional intake adequacy, the percentage of targeted energy and protein requirement achieved is significantly higher in the intervention group (81±21% and 90±28% of their energy and protein requirements respectively), compared to 64±21% and 75±23% in the control group. Adequacy of micronutrient consumption is also significantly higher in the intervention group, 88.6% of patients in the intervention group achieved adequate intake of micronutrients from PN compare to 8.1% of patients in the control group. <h3>Conclusions</h3> Nutrition care provided by the NST is promising to ensure the nutrition well-being of hospitalized malnourished patients. This review suggests that NST intervention can improve both macro- and micronutrient intake adequacies in patients on parenteral nutrition support. Further clinical outcomes studies on the benefits of NST are recommended.