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Background: Enteral nutrition (EN) is commonly used for nutritional support in patients with cancer. Whether inflammation, one of the driving factors of malnutrition and cancer, affects the association between EN and short-term prognosis and medical costs in patients with cancer remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association between EN and short-term prognosis of patients with cancer and the effect of inflammation on EN-associated medical costs., Methods: This multicentre prospective cohort study evaluated patients with pathologically confirmed solid tumours. After admission, all patients who received EN, including oral or tube feeding, were assigned to the EN group. The log-rank test was used to identify the optimal cutoff values for inflammatory markers. Cox regression analysis was used to analyse the associations among EN, inflammation, and prognosis. Propensity score matching was used to balance biases between the EN and non-EN groups and validate the stability of the results., Results: A total of 5121 patients were included, with 2965 (57.90%) men and an average age of 59.06 (11.30) years. A total of 462 patients received EN, with 390 (84.4%) receiving oral nutritional supplementation. During the 90-day follow-up, 304 patients died. In the low inflammation group, there was no association between EN and short-term prognosis (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.92, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.39-2.18). In the high inflammation group, EN significantly improved the short-term prognosis (HR = 0.48, 95% CI = 0.30-0.76). In patients with low inflammation (p < 0.001), EN increased hospitalisation costs (p < 0.001) without reducing length of stay (LOS) (p = 0.15). In patients with high inflammation, EN did not increase hospitalisation expenses (p = 0.47) but reduced the LOS (p = 0.004)., Conclusion: EN can improve the short-term prognosis of patients with high inflammation and reduce LOS without increasing the hospitalisation expenses. Baseline inflammation levels may serve as effective indicators for personalised and precise EN treatment., Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR1800020329 (chictr.org.cn)., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval: This study was approved by the ethics committee of Beijing Shijitan Hospital and adhered to the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Consent to participate: Participants or their legal representatives provided written informed consent. Conflict of interest: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Hypophosphatemia occurs frequently. Enteral, rather than IV, phosphate replacement may reduce fluid replacement, cost, and waste., Design: Prospective, randomized, parallel group, noninferiority clinical trial., Setting: Single center, 42-bed state trauma, medical and surgical ICUs, from April 20, 2022, to July 1, 2022., Patients: Patients with serum phosphate concentration between 0.3 and 0.75 mmol/L., Interventions: We randomized patients to either enteral or IV phosphate replacement using electronic medical record-embedded program., Measurement and Main Results: Our primary outcome was serum phosphate at 24 hours with a noninferiority margin of 0.2 mmol/L. Secondary outcomes included cost savings and environmental waste reduction and additional IV fluid administered. The modified intention-to-treat cohort comprised 131 patients. Baseline phosphate concentrations were similar between the two groups. At 24 hours, mean ( sd ) serum phosphate concentration were enteral 0.89 mmol/L (0.24 mmol/L) and IV 0.82 mmol/L (0.28 mmol/L). This difference was noninferior at the margin of 0.2 mmol/L (difference, 0.07 mmol/L; 95% CI, -0.02 to 0.17 mmol/L). When assigned IV replacement, patients received 408 mL (372 mL) of solvent IV fluid. Compared with IV replacement, the mean cost per patient was ten-fold less with enteral replacement ($3.7 [$4.0] vs. IV: $37.7 [$31.4]; difference = $34.0 [95% CI, $26.3-$41.7]) and weight of waste was less (7.7 g [8.3 g] vs. 217 g [169 g]; difference = 209 g [95% CI, 168-250 g]). C O2 emissions were 60-fold less for comparable phosphate replacement (enteral: 2 g producing 14.2 g and 20 mmol of potassium dihydrogen phosphate producing 843 g of C O2 equivalents)., Conclusions: Enteral phosphate replacement in ICU is noninferior to IV replacement at a margin of 0.2 mmol/L but leads to a substantial reduction in cost and waste., Competing Interests: Drs. Nguyen’s, Panganiban’s, and Ali Abdelhamid’s institutions received funding from the Clive and Vera Ramaciotti Foundations. Dr. Nguyen’s institution received funding from the Fox Family Foundation. Dr. Ali Abdelhamid’s institution received funding from the Intensive Care Foundation of Australia and New Zealand and the Victorian Medical Research Acceleration Fund. The remaining authors have disclosed that they do not have any potential conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

Objective: The aims of this study was to analyse fibreoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) findings in tube-fed patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)., Methods: Seventeen patients who had been intubated during intensive care unit (ICU) stay were enrolled. Pooling of secretions, dysphagia phenotype, penetration/aspiration and residue after swallow were assessed through FEES. The Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) scores were also collected. Patients with significant swallowing impairment were evaluated again after 2 weeks., Results: All patients were tube-fed at enrollment. According to the FEES results, 7 started total oral feeding with at least one consistency. The more common dysphagia phenotypes were propulsive deficit and delayed pharyngeal phase. Pooling of secretions, penetration/aspiration, and residue after swallow were frequently documented. A significant improvement in FOIS scores was found during the second FEES examination., Conclusions: Swallowing impairment in patients with severe COVID-19 after discharge from the ICU is characterised by propulsive deficit and delayed pharyngeal phase. Most of these patients required feeding restrictions even if feeding abilities seem to improve over time., (Copyright © 2024 Società Italiana di Otorinolaringoiatria e Chirurgia Cervico-Facciale, Rome, Italy.)

Background: Patients receiving home enteral tube feeding (HETF) have a high risk of complications and readmission to hospital. This study aims to evaluate effectiveness of staff- and/or patient-focused service-improvement strategies on clinical, patient-reported, and economic outcomes for patients receiving HETF across adult settings., Methods: The search was conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CINAHL databases. Quality of studies were appraised using the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias tool and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) assessment., Results: Eleven studies met the inclusion criteria. Pooled data found targeted HETF education with patients, carers, and staff significantly improved knowledge immediately after education and was sustained at 3-6 months. Multimodal interventions, including the formation of specialist HETF teams, significantly reduced complications such as infection, gastrostomy blockage, tube displacement, and feed intolerance but do not significantly reduce unplanned hospital encounters (outpatient clinic visits, hospitalizations, and emergency presentations). Owing to the high risk of bias in the included studies, there is low-quality evidence to support staff training, patient education, and dedicated HETF teams., Conclusion: This review highlights the need for further quality research to allow higher-level evidence for determining the usefulness of interventions aimed at improving outcomes for patients receiving HETF. Future research needs to include greater assessment of quality of life, quantification of the value of interventions in economic terms, and use of translational research frameworks. However, effective staff and patient education programs, along with comprehensive multidisciplinary care, should be considered standard care until a larger research base is developed., (© 2022 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.)

Objective: To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of two rates of enteral feed advancement (18 vs 30 mL/kg/day) in very preterm and very low birth weight infants., Design: Within-trial economic evaluation alongside a multicentre, two-arm parallel group, randomised controlled trial (Speed of Increasing milk Feeds Trial)., Setting: 55 UK neonatal units from May 2013 to June 2015., Patients: Infants born <32 weeks' gestation or <1500 g, receiving less than 30 mL/kg/day of milk at trial enrolment. Infants with a known severe congenital anomaly, no realistic chance of survival, or unlikely to be traceable for follow-up, were ineligible., Interventions: When clinicians were ready to start advancing feed volumes, infants were randomised to receive daily increments in feed volume of 30 mL/kg (intervention) or 18 mL/kg (control)., Main Outcome Measure: Cost per additional survivor without moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disability at 24 months of age corrected for prematurity., Results: Average costs per infant were slightly higher for faster feeds compared with slower feeds (mean difference £267, 95% CI -6928 to 8117). Fewer infants achieved the principal outcome of survival without moderate to severe neurodevelopmental disability at 24 months in the faster feeds arm (802/1224 vs 848/1246). The stochastic cost-effectiveness analysis showed a likelihood of worse outcomes for faster feeds compared with slower feeds., Conclusions: The stochastic cost-effectiveness analysis shows faster feeds are broadly equivalent on cost grounds. However, in terms of outcomes at 24 months age (corrected for prematurity), faster feeds are harmful. Faster feeds should not be recommended on either cost or effectiveness grounds to achieve the primary outcome., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY. Published by BMJ.)

The current climate of healthcare economics in the United States has imposed unprecedented market stressors on health institutions traditionally providing tertiary care to those with the most challenging healthcare needs. In such a stressed financial atmosphere, administrators look to streamline costs and cut margins as tightly as possible. This often results in restructuring, consolidating, or closing service lines that are perceived as unprofitable or unsupportable. Nutrition support often falls into this category because of few sources of direct revenue-generating activities and poor reimbursement from third-party payers. This article discusses the challenges to modern nutrition support teams, particularly those with gastroenterologists as physician leaders, and delineates market forces that need shifting to continue to make this a viable part of the healthcare system., (© 2020 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.)

Malnutrition is frequently seen among patients in the intensive care unit. Evidence shows that optimal nutritional support can lead to better clinical outcomes. Recent clinical trials debate over the efficacy of enteral nutrition (EN) over parenteral nutrition (PN). Multiple trials have studied the impact of EN versus PN in terms of health-care cost and clinical outcomes (including functional status, cost, infectious complications, mortality risk, length of hospital and intensive care unit stay, and mechanical ventilation duration). The aim of this review is to address the question: In critically ill adult patients requiring nutrition support, does EN compared to PN favorably impact clinical outcomes and health-care costs?

Nutritional support is a crucial issue in Acute Pancreatitis (AP) management. Recommendations on nutrition in AP are still not completely translated in the clinical practice. We aimed to compare and evaluate the effects of parenteral nutrition (PN) vs oral/enteral nutrition (EN) on several clinical and economic outcomes in AP. This is a retrospective monocentric study conducted in a tertiary care center for pancreatic diseases. The primary outcomes were length of hospital stay (LOS) and associated costs. The secondary outcomes were the use and cost of antibiotics and fluid therapy, and the complication's rates. One hundred seventy-one patients were included from January 2015 to January 2018. Patients were 69 (40.4%) in PN group and 102 (59.6%) in EN group. There was a significant reduction in LOS in EN vs PN group in both mild AP (p < 0.0001), and moderate-severe AP (p < 0.005). There was a significant reduction in the total hospitalization costs in EN group vs PN group in both mild AP (p < 0.0001), and moderate-severe AP (p < 0.005). There was a significant reduction in the total costs of antibiotics and pain therapy in EN vs PN group (p < 0.0001 and p = 0.05, respectively). Finally, a significant reduction in the infected peri-pancreatic fluid collections rate (p = 0.04) was observed in EN vs PN group. The use of EN in AP is associated with substantial clinical and economic benefits. Thus, the application of the standard of care in nutrition and following AP guidelines is the best way to cure patients and improve healthcare system costs.

Background & Aims: Malnutrition affects 5-10% of elderly people living in the community. A few studies suggest that nutritional intervention may reduce health care costs. The present study included malnourished elderly patients living at home. It aimed to compare health care costs between patients that were prescribed ONS by their general practitioner and those who were not, and to assess the effect of ONS prescription on the risk of hospitalisation., Methods: This prospective multicentre observational study included malnourished patients ≥70 years old who lived at home. Patients were defined as malnourished if they presented with one or more of the following criteria: weight loss ≥5% in 1 month, weight loss ≥10% in 6 months, BMI <21 kg/m 2 , albuminemia <35 g/L or Short-Form MNA ≤ 7. Their general practitioners prescribed an ONS, or not, according to their usual practice. Health care costs were recorded during a 6-month period. Other collected data were diseases, disability, self-perception of current health status, quality of life (QoL), nutritional status, appetite and compliance to ONS. A propensity score method was used to compare costs and risk of hospitalisation to adjust for potential confounding factors and control for selection bias., Results: We analysed 191 patients. At baseline, the 133 patients (70%) who were prescribed ONS were more disabled (p < 0.001) and had poorer perception of their health (p = 0.02), lower QoL (p = 0.04) and lower appetite (p < 0.001) than the 58 patients (30%) who were not prescribed ONS. At 6 months, appetite had improved more in the ONS prescription group (p = 0.001). Weight change was not different between groups. Patients prescribed ONS were more frequently hospitalised (OR 2.518, 95% CI: [1.088; 5.829] hosp; p = 0.03). Analyses of adjusted populations revealed no differences in health care costs between groups. In the ONS prescription group, we identified that health care costs were lower (p = 0.042) in patients with an energy intake from ONS ≥ 500 kcal/d (1389 ± 264 €) vs. < 500 kcal/d (3502 ± 839 €). The risk of hospitalisation was reduced 3 and 5 times when the intake from ONS was ≥30 g of protein/day or ≥500 kcal/d, respectively., Conclusions: ONS prescription in malnourished elderly patients generated no extra heath care cost. High energy and protein intake from ONS was associated with a reduced risk of hospitalisation and health care costs., (Copyright © 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

The popularity of homemade blenderized tube feeding (HBTF) continues to increase among enteral nutrition (EN) consumers and healthcare providers alike, citing improved feeding tolerance over standard commercial enteral formulas, among other health outcomes. Within the past 5-10 years, there has been a surge in the development of commercial blenderized tube feeding (CBTF) products. CBTF products promote similar benefits from whole foods like those used in HBTF while being a nutritionally-consistent, easy to use, and shelf-stable option for EN consumers. Research is improving but is still limited for HBTF and virtually nonexistent for CBTF products. This review aims to summarize current health outcomes of HBTF, compare HBTF with CBTF, evaluate CBTF products, and provide considerations for future research and practices., (© 2020 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.)

Background: Early palliative care team consultation has been shown to reduce costs of hospital care. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between palliative care team (PCT) consultation and the content and costs of hospital care in patients with advanced cancer., Material and Methods: A prospective, observational study was conducted in 12 Dutch hospitals. Patients with advanced cancer and an estimated life expectancy of less than 1 year were included. We compared hospital care during 3 months of follow-up for patients with and without PCT involvement. Propensity score matching was used to estimate the effect of PCTs on costs of hospital care. Additionally, gamma regression models were estimated to assess predictors of hospital costs., Results: We included 535 patients of whom 126 received PCT consultation. Patients with PCT had a worse life expectancy (life expectancy <3 months: 62% vs. 31%, p < .01) and performance status (p < .01, e.g., WHO status higher than 2:54% vs. 28%) and more often had no more options for anti-tumour therapy (57% vs. 30%, p < .01). Hospital length of stay, use of most diagnostic procedures, medication and other therapeutic interventions were similar. The total mean hospital costs were €8,393 for patients with and €8,631 for patients without PCT consultation. Analyses using propensity scores to control for observed confounding showed no significant difference in hospital costs., Conclusions: PCT consultation for patients with cancer in Dutch hospitals often occurs late in the patients' disease trajectories, which might explain why we found no effect of PCT consultation on costs of hospital care. Earlier consultation could be beneficial to patients and reduce costs of care., (© 2019 The Authors. European Journal of Cancer Care published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Background: We compared the cost-effectiveness of the common surgical strategies for the management of infants with feeding difficulty., Methods: Infants with feeding difficulty undergoing gastrostomy alone (GT), GT and fundoplication, or gastrojejunostomy (GJ) tube were enrolled between 2/2017 and 2/2018. A validated GERD symptom severity questionnaire (GSQ) and visual analog scale (VAS) to assess quality of life (QOL) were administered at baseline, 1 month, and every 6 months. Data collected included demographics, resource utilization, diagnostic studies, and costs. VAS scores were converted to quality adjusted life months (QALMs), and costs per QALM were compared using a decision tree model., Results: Fifty patients initially had a GT alone (71% laparoscopically), and one had a primary GJ. Median age was 4 months (IQR 3-8 months). Median follow-up was 11 months (IQR 5-13 months). Forty-three did well with GT alone. Six (12%) required conversion from GT to GJ tube, and one required a fundoplication. Of those with GT alone, six (14%) improved significantly so that their GT was removed after a mean of 7 ± 3 months. Overall, the median GSQ score improved from 173 at baseline to 18 after 1 year (p < 0.001). VAS scores also improved from 70/100 at baseline to 85/100 at 1 year (p < 0.001). ED visits (59%), readmissions (47%), and clinic visits (88%) cost $58,091, $1,442,139, and $216,739, respectively. GJ tube had significantly higher costs for diagnostic testing compared to GT (median $8768 vs. $1007, p < 0.001). Conversion to GJ tube resulted in costs of $68,241 per QALM gained compared to GT only., Conclusions: Most patients improved with GT alone without needing GJ tube or fundoplication. GT and GJ tube were associated with improvement in symptoms and QOL. GJ tube patients reported greater gains in QALMS but incurred higher costs. Further analysis of willingness to pay for each additional QALM will help determine the value of care., Study and Level of Evidence: Cost-effectiveness study, Level II., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Home artificial nutrition (HAN) is an established treatment for malnourished patients. Since July 2012, the costs for oral nutrition supplements (ONS) are covered by the compulsory health insurance providers in Switzerland if the patient has a medical indication based on the Swiss Society for Clinical Nutrition guidelines. Therefore, the purpose of our study was to analyse the development of HAN, including ONS, before and after July 2012., Methods: We obtained the retrospective and anonymized data from the Swiss association for joint tasks of health insurers (SVK), who registered patients on HAN. Since not all health insurers are working with SVK, this retrospective study recorded nearly 65% of all new patients on HAN in Switzerland from January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2015., Results: A total of 33,410 patients (49.1% men and 50.9% women) with a mean BMI of 21.3 ± 4.5 kg/m2 and mean age of 68.9 ± 17.8 years were recorded. The number of patient cases on ONS increased from 808 cases in 2010 to 18,538 cases in 2015, while patient cases on home enteral nutrition (HEN) and home parenteral nutrition (HPN) remained approximately the same. The relative distribution of type of HAN changed from 26.2% cases on ONS, 68.7% cases on HEN and 5.1% cases on HPN in 2010 to 86.1% cases on ONS, 12.8% cases on HEN, and 1.1% cases on HPN in 2015. Treatment duration decreased for ONS from 698 ± 637 days to 171 ± 274 days, for HEN from 416 ± 553 days to 262 ± 459 days, and for HPN from 96 ± 206 days to 72 ± 123 days. Mean costs per patient decreased for ONS from 1,330 CHF in 2010 to 606 CHF in 2015. Total costs for HAN increased from 16,895,373 CHF in 2010 to 32,868,361 CHF in 2015., Conclusion: Our epidemiological follow-up study showed an immense increase in number of patients on HAN in Switzerland after July 2012. Due to shorter therapy duration and reduced mean costs per patient, total costs were only doubled while the number of patients increased 7-fold., (© 2020 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs), like other healthcare professionals, are often searching for ways to improve their skills and advance their practice. One way RDNs have expanded their skills is by learning to place small bowel feeding tubes (SBFTs). However, it is also important that staffing RDNs to place SBFTs makes sense for their institution and their patient population. Although it is unknown how many RDNs place SBFTs, feeding tube placements by RDNs have been in practice for almost 2 decades, and it is within the RDN scope of practice. This article is a review of the literature, including indications for SBFT, possible benefits of RDNs placing SBFTs, development and maintenance of an RDN-led SBFT program, and assessment of clinical and institutional outcomes for this procedure., (© 2019 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.)

Introduction : Data on home enteral nutrition (HEN) in long-term care facilities (LTCF) in Singapore is scarce. This study aims to determine the prevalence and incidence of chewing/swallowing impairment and HEN, and the manpower and costs related. Methods: A validated cross-sectional survey was sent to all 69 LTCFs in Singapore in May 2019. Local costs (S$) for manpower and feeds were used to tabulate the cost of HEN. Results: Nine LTCFs (13.0%) responded, with a combined 1879 beds and 240 residents on HEN. An incidence rate (IR) of 15.7 per 1000 people-years (PY) and a point prevalence (PP) of 136.6 per 1000 residents were determined for HEN, and an IR of 433.0 per 1000 PY, with PP of 385.6 per 1000 residents for chewing/swallowing impairment. Only 2.5% of residents had a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). The mean length of residence in LTCF was 45.9 ± 12.3 months. More than half of the residents received nasogastric tube feeding (NGT) for ≥36 months. Median monthly HEN cost per resident was S$799.47 (interquartile range (IQR): 692.11, 940.30). Nursing costs for feeding contributed to 63% of total HEN costs. Conclusions: The high usage and length of time on NGT feeding warrants exploration and education of PEG usage. A national HEN database may improve the care of LTCF residents.

Objective: To explore the differences in mean treatment costs between home-based care and hospital-based care in enteral nutrition patients in Japan., Methods: Using claims data from September 2013 to August 2014, we analyzed patients with recorded reimbursements for enteral nutrition at home or in a hospital. Treatment costs were compared using a panel data analysis with an individual fixed effects model that adjusted for the number of comorbidities and fiscal year. Costs were compared for all patients, as well as for specific diseases (pneumonia, sequelae of cerebrovascular disease, and dementia)., Results: The study sample comprised 7,783 patients with a cumulative total of 33,751 person-months of data. The mean patient age was 84.4 years for home-based care, 83.7 years for hospital-based care. The panel data analysis found that the cost estimates for hospital-based care were consistently higher than those for home-based care; the difference in adjusted treatment costs were $4,894 for all patients, $5,315 for pneumonia patients, $4,481 for sequelae of cerebrovascular disease patients, and $4,519 for dementia patients (all P < 0.001). Hospital-based care was still more expensive even when long-term care services were included in home-based care treatment cost estimates., Conclusion: Home-based care was consistently and substantially cheaper than hospital-based care in enteral nutrition patients in Japan., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To analyze the compliance with the Guide for home enteral nutrition (HEN) of the Spanish national health system of the prescriptions made in a specific area (Health Area I of the Region of Murcia) before and after implementation of a clinical pathway based on that guide, and to compare the changes in healthcare costs of diet therapy during the 2007-2014 period in the Regional and National Health system., Method: A descriptive study to quantify compliance with the main criteria of the HEN guide before (2010) and after (2013-2014) implementation of the clinical pathway. Changes in health expenditure and consumption during the 2007-2014 period were also analyzed., Results: All markers of compliance with the national HEN guide improved after implementation of the clinical pathway. In addition, Murcia has one of the Spanish lowest expenditures per population, below the national average., Conclusion: The clinical pathway implemented improves compliance with the national guide of prescriptions to patients in the Region of Murcia while containing health resources expenditure and consumption, thus making diet therapy prescription more sustainable., (Copyright © 2018 SEEN y SED. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.)

Aims: The objective of this (trial based) economic evaluation was to assess, from a societal perspective, the cost-effectiveness of perioperative enteral nutrition compared with standard care in patients undergoing colorectal surgery., Materials and Methods: Alongside the SANICS II randomized controlled trial, global quality-of-life, utilities (measured by EQ-5D-5L), healthcare costs, production losses, and patient and family costs were assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) (i.e. cost per increased global quality-of-life score or quality-adjusted life year [QALY] gained) and cost effectiveness acceptability curves were visualized., Results: In total, 265 patients were included in the original trial (n = 132 in the perioperative enteral nutrition group and n = 133 in the standard care group). At 6 months, global quality-of-life (83 vs 83, p = .357) did not differ significantly between the groups. The mean total societal costs for the intervention and standard care groups were €14,673 and €11,974, respectively, but did not reach statistical significance (p = .109). The intervention resulted in an ICER of -€6,276 per point increase in the global quality of life score. The gain in QALY was marginal (0.003), with an additional cost of €2,941, and the ICUR (Incremental cost utility ratio) was estimated at €980,333., Limitations: The cost elements for all the participating centers reflect the reference prices from the Netherlands. Patient-reported questionnaires may have resulted in recall bias. Sample size was limited by exclusion of patients who did not complete questionnaires for at least at two time points. A power analysis based on costs and health-related quality-of-life (HRQoL) was not performed. The economic impact could not be analyzed at 1 month post-operatively where the effects could potentially be higher., Conclusions: This study suggests that perioperative nutrition is not beneficial for the patients in terms of quality-of-life and is not cost-effective.

Background: Little data evaluate the enteral nutrition (EN) for patients with acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) in the intensive care unit (ICU). This study assessed the outcomes of EN for recanalised AMI patients in the ICU., Methods: In this retrospective study, 183 AMI patients with mesenteric recanalisation admitted to two surgical ICUs were included. Patients were divided into EN (EN within first week, n = 95) and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) group (TPN in 1st week, n = 88). The etiology, outcomes and complications were compared. Nutritional, immunologic, inflammatory response and mesenteric reperfusion were evaluated. Subgroup analysis and cost-assessment were performed., Results: No significant difference of demographics and illness severity at baseline were found. The rates of TPN for ≥6 months (7.4% vs. 18.2%, P < 0.01), infectious complications (7.4% vs. 20.5%, P = 0.01) and acute respiratory distress syndrome (4.2% vs. 13.6%, P < 0.01) were lower in EN group. For patients with mesenteric infarction (n = 101), EN was associated with earlier bowel continuity restoration (P < 0.01) and lower 30-day mortality (7.3% vs. 26.1%, P = 0.01). For patients without initial bowel resection (n = 82), length of ICU and hospital stay was significantly shortened in EN group. The 1-year survival was 88.4% in EN group and 78.4% in TPN group (P = 0.031). EN was cost-effective, with improved inflammatory response and elevated peak velocity of mesenteric flow., Conclusions: For recanalised AMI patients, EN starting within the first week represents a favourable alternative to TPN. A multicentre randomised controlled trial with high level of evidence is warranted in the future., Clinical Relevancy Statement: Acute mesenteric ischaemia (AMI) is a catastrophic abdominal vascular emergency in the surgical intensive care unit (ICU), and the mortality of AMI remains unchanged despite significant progress of endovascular techniques. A multidisciplinary and multimodal management approach of AMI in the ICU has been recently proposed to improve patient's survival and prevent the intestinal failure. Post-recanalisation nutrition therapy may significantly improve the overall survival of AMI patients is quite underemphasised in the ICU. Definitive data comparing EN with TPN for this patient population are very lacking. This study provides the clinical data to suggest that early EN starting after ICU admission represents a favourable alternative to TPN for recanalised AMI patients. The nutrition therapy protocol in the ICU for this special cohort needs to be updated with more high-level evidence in the future., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the clinical effectiveness of postoperative nutritional support in patients undergoing hepatectomy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A total of 379 HCC patients who received partial hepatectomy from January 2010 to December 2013 in Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences were selected. Based on the nutritional method, all of the enrolled patients were divided into two group: 142 patients who received early enteral nutrition (EEN) combined with parenteral nutrition (PN) were identified as EEN+ PN group; 237 patients who received total parenteral nutrition (TPN) were identified as TPN group. These two groups were even divided into two subgroups, centrally located HCC (cl-HCC) and non-centrally located HCC (ncl-HCC). The clinical effectiveness of different groups was assessed and compared. Results: The age, gender, body mass index (BMI), the maximum diameter of the tumor, the amount of operative bleeding and postoperative infective rate did not show statistically significant differences between EEN+ PN group and TPN group ( P >0.05). On the seventh postoperative day (7(th) POD), aspartate transaminase (AST) of EEN+ PN group and TPN group were (41.6±2.0) IU/L and (50.4±3.2) IU/L respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). Alkaline phosphatase (ALP) of these two groups were (80.8±2.4) IU/L and (90.2±2.3) IU/L, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). Total bilirubin (TBIL) of these two groups were (15.8±0.7) μmol/L and (19.1±0.7) μmol/L, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). On the 7(th) POD, AST in cl-HCC subgroups of EEN+ PN group and TPN group were (39.6±2.6) IU/L and (61.0±7.0) IU/L, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). TBIL in cl-HCC subgroups of these two groups were (14.4±0.9) μmol/L and (20.7±1.3) μmol/L, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). On the 7(th) POD, ALP in ncl-HCC subgroups of these two groups were (79.3±3.0) IU/L and (89.9±3.1) IU/L, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). The total length of stay (t-LOS) of these two groups were (15.8±0.4) days and (17.1±0.4) days, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). Postoperative LOS (postop-LOS) of these two groups were (8.6±0.2) days and (10.1±0.3) days, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). Total length of stay (t-LOS) in ncl-HCC subgroups of these two groups were (15.1±0.5) days and (16.6±0.3) days, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). Postoperative LOS (postop-LOS) in ncl-HCC subgroups of these two groups were (8.4±0.2) days and (9.5±0.2) days, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). Postoperative LOS (postop-LOS) in cl-HCC subgroups of these two groups were (8.7±0.2) days and (11.0±0.8) days, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). Postoperative hospitalization expenses of these two groups were (20 855.0±549.8) yuan and (23 373.0±715.5) yuan, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). Postoperative hospitalization expenses in cl-HCC subgroups of these two groups were (21 012.0±748.5) yuan and (24 697.0±1 409.0) yuan, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant ( P <0.05). Conclusion: EEN+ PN can improve the liver function, shorten the postoperative hospitalization time and reduce the postoperative hospitalization expenses of HCC patients in need of nutritional support.

Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) has been considered a lifesaving intervention since the late 1960s for patients with gastrointestinal (GI) failure and other conditions that affect the GI tract who are well enough to be at home. Payment for this therapy under federal programs requires significant documentation and complex processes to qualify. Medicare parenteral nutrition policy, qualification processes and challenges, and advocacy supported by the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition are reviewed with the goal of increasing clinician awareness of the complexity surrounding Medicare HPN reimbursement., (© 2018 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.)

Objectives: Studies are lacking in the health economic implications of home enteral nutrition (HEN) in home-residing and long-term care/institutionalized patients. The aims of this review were to determine the total costs, the cost-effectiveness and other economic outcomes for HEN., Design: A systematic search of randomized trials and observational studies available from January 2000 to April 2016 was performed using standard literature and electronic databases. Inclusion criteria were adults receiving HEN with economic outcomes in the long-term care or home settings. There was no restriction to the control groups used in the studies., Results: A total of 10 studies met the inclusion criteria. The majority of the studies were not specifically designed for economic evaluation. Cost per QALY was lower in residents residing in home compared to long-term care facilities, and HEN appeared to be cost-effective for those with pressure ulcers. Higher costs were incurred for patients with dementia on HEN. Lower hospitalization costs and infection rates were reported for patients who switched to commercial feeds from blenderized food. The availability of nutritional support teams may decrease overall costs but these studies were of poor study quality., Conclusions: The lack of good quality economic evaluation studies affected the ability to conclude the overall cost-effectiveness of HEN. There is a trend for cost-saving and improved clinical outcomes in some populations. HEN is unlikely beneficial for patients with dementia. The availability of a nutrition support team may lead to cost savings and improved clinical outcomes for HEN., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Malnutrition has been related to prolonged hospital stays, and to increases in readmission and mortality rates. In the NOURISH (Nutrition effect On Unplanned Readmissions and Survival in Hospitalized patients) study, administering a high protein oral nutritional supplement (ONS) containing beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HP-HMB) to hospitalised older adult patients led to a significant improvement in survival compared with a placebo treatment. The aim of this study was to determine whether HP-HMB would be cost-effective in Spain. We performed a cost-effectiveness analysis from the perspective of the Spanish National Health System using time horizons of 90 days, 180 days, 1 year, 2 years, 5 years and lifetime. The difference in cost between patients treated with HP-HMB and placebo was €332.75. With the 90 days time horizon, the difference in life years gained (LYG) between both groups was 0.0096, resulting in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of €34,700.62/LYG. With time horizons of 180 days, 1 year, 2 years, 5 years and lifetime, the respective ICERs were €13,711.68, €3377.96, €2253.32, €1127.34 and €563.84/LYG. This analysis suggests that administering HP-HMB to older adult patients admitted to Spanish hospitals during hospitalisation and after discharge could be a cost-effective intervention that would improve survival with a reduced marginal cost., Competing Interests: R.S.B. and S.G. are employees at Abbott Laboratories Ltd. D.M.L. is an employee at Oblikue Consulting, which provided paid consulting services to Abbott Laboratories Ltd. for the development of this study.

Literature regarding the use of home enteral nutrition (HEN) and how it is reimbursed in the Asia Pacific region is limited. This research survey aims to determine the availability of HEN, the type of feeds and enteral access used, national reimbursement policies, the presence of nutrition support teams (NSTs), and clinical nutrition education in this region. An electronic questionnaire was sent to 20 clinical nutrition societies and leaders in the Asia Pacific region in August 2017, where thirteen countries responded. Comparison of HEN reimbursement and practice between countries of different income groups based on the World Bank's data was investigated. Financial support for HEN is only available in 40% of the countries. An association was found between availability of financial support for HEN and health expenditure ( r = 0.63, p = 0.021). High and middle-upper income countries use mainly commercial supplements for HEN, while lower-middle income countries use mainly blenderized diet. The presence of NSTs is limited, and only present mainly in acute settings. Sixty percent of the countries indicated an urgent need for funding and reimbursement of HEN. This survey demonstrates the varied clinical and economic situation in the Asia Pacific region. There is a lack of reimbursement, clinical support, and inadequate educational opportunities, especially for the lower-middle income countries., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Background: The purpose of this study was to examine the cost differences between preoperative and postoperative placement of gastrostomy tubes (G-tubes) in patients with head and neck cancer., Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of patients with aerodigestive tract cancers from 2010 to 2015. Data included inpatient and postdischarge costs, demographics, tumor characteristics, surgical treatment, length of stay (LOS), time spent in the intensive care unit (ICU), and readmissions., Results: Five hundred ninety patients were included in this study. There was a $7624 inpatient cost savings (P = .002) for those G-tubes placed preoperatively ($26 060) versus postoperatively ($33 754). Postdischarge costs did not differ significantly between groups (P = .60). There was a $9248 total costs savings (P = .009) for those patients with G-tubes placed preoperatively ($39 751) versus postoperatively ($48 999), despite patients with preoperative G-tubes having lower body mass index (BMI; P = .009), higher Association of Anesthesiologist (ASA) class (P = .02), more preoperative radiation (P < .001), and more free tissue transfer reconstruction (P = .007)., Conclusion: There is potential for savings by placing G-tubes preoperatively, possibly driven by decreased LOS, despite data suggesting that patients with G-tubes placed preoperatively are higher risk., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

With scientific advances allowing for the safe delivery of parenteral and enteral nutrition in the home setting, challenges have risen with determining how this will be financially feasible for patients. In the United States, the government is one of the major payers for home parenteral and enteral nutrition (HPEN). Thus, it is important for nutrition providers to have an understanding of the Medicare criteria that must be met in order for these services to be covered. It can be difficult for clinicians to sift through these requirements and decipher for whom and when HPEN is covered. As our nutrition science knowledge and delivery continue to grow and evolve, potential barriers to this coverage may arise. This article provides background on those currently on HPEN in the United States, the current Medicare HPEN coverage criteria, and challenges we may face in the future.

Background & Aims: Patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) often need enteral nutrition (EN) support. For patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D), standard EN formulas may not provide ideal nutrients. The purpose was to investigate whether use of a diabetes-specific formula (DSF) could provide clinical and health economic benefits (compared to standard formulas) in critically ill patients with T2D., Methods: This study was a retrospective analysis of medical records and expenditure data covering a 5-year period (2009-2013) from the hospitalization database of the National Taiwan University Hospital. Records of ICU patients who had T2D and were receiving enteral feeding with either the DSF or non-diabetes-specific formula (non-DSF) for at least 5 days were included in the analysis. Mortality, ICU length of stay (LOS), diabetes-related medications, and total costs of care (including all costs covered by the National Health Insurance and private expenses) were considered as the primary outcomes., Results: A total of 158 patient records were analyzed in the DSF group and 794 in the non-DSF group. The baseline demographics including age, gender, weight, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidity patterns were mostly comparable between the groups. Compared to those receiving non-DSF, patients with T2D receiving DSF were found to have significantly decreased mortality (5.1% vs. 12.3%, P = 0.0118) and reduced need for insulin prescription (29.1% vs. 38.4%, P = 0.0269). ICU LOS was shorter for DSF patients, but no statistical difference was found (13.0 days vs. 15.1 days, P = 0.1843). However, significantly lower total ICU costs were reported for DSF patients (6700 USD vs. 9200 USD, P < 0.0001)., Conclusions: The use of DSF in ICU patients with T2D is correlated with significant reduction in mortality and improved health economic outcomes., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of an arginine-based immunonutrition intervention for patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery on postsurgical utilization and cost outcomes., Methods: This analysis was based on data from two Washington State databases: Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program (SCOAP) linked to the Comprehensive Hospital Abstract Reporting System (CHARS). The sample (N=722) comprises adult patients who underwent elective colorectal surgery with anastomosis in a Washington State hospital that participated in the Strong for Surgery (S4S) initiative between January 1, 2012, and December 31, 2013. A generalized linear model was used to predict the outcomes, adjusting for demographic characteristics and patient health conditions within a multivariate regression framework., Results: Findings from this study demonstrated significantly fewer readmissions and hospital days for the intervention group during the 180 d after index hospitalization. Clinical benefits included decreased risk for infections and venous thromboembolism. There was a similar pattern toward lower total costs in the immunonutrition patient group; however, these were not statistically different compared with the control group at any time point. Savings in the immunonutrition group were substantial-mean total costs per patient were less by ∼$2500 at index hospitalization, $3500 less through 30 d of follow-up, and $5300 less over 180 d compared with the control group., Conclusion: These findings suggest that arginine-based immunonutrition should be thoroughly evaluated for incorporation into clinical practice for patients undergoing elective surgery. Moreover, there is a need to assess the effects of the intervention in other hospitals both within and outside Washington., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: The use of enteral formulas with immunonutrients in patients with gastrointestinal malignancies susceptible to surgery can reduce postoperative morbidity, at the expense of reduced infectious complications, with the consequent reduction in hospital stay and health care costs., Material and Methods: Prospective randomized study. 84 patients operated on a scheduled basis for resectable colorectal cancer were recruited. In the group YES IN Impact © Oral was administered for 8 days (3 sachets a day), compared with the NOT IN group who did not receive it., Results: 40.5% (17) patients without immunonutrition suffered infectious complications vs. 33.3% (14) of YES IN. In patients with rectal cancer NOT IN, 50% (8) suffered minor infectious complications (p=.028). In each group (YES IN, NOT IN, colon and rectal cancer) when infectious complications were observed, the variables total hospital stay and costs doubled, with significant differences. These variables showed higher values in the group NOT IN compared with those who received immunonutrition, although these differences were not statistically significant., Conclusions: NOT IN patients suffered infectious complications more frequently than YES IN, with significant results in the subgroup of patients with rectal cancer. The total hospital stay and costs were slightly higher in the group not supplemented, doubling in each category significantly (YES IN, NOT IN, colon and rectal cancer), when infectious complications were observed., (Copyright © 2016 Academia Mexicana de Cirugía A.C. Publicado por Masson Doyma México S.A. All rights reserved.)

Background: Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is the most frequent pancreatic specific complication (PSC) after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Several gastric decompression systems exist to manage DGE. Patients with a pancreatic tumor require prolonged nutrition; however, controversies exist concerning nutrition protocol after PD. The aim of the study was to assess the safety and efficacy of nasogastric (NG), gastrostomy (GT), and gastrojejunostomy (GJ) tubes with different feeding systems on postoperative courses., Methods: Between January 2013 and March 2016, 86 patients underwent PD with pancreaticogastrostomy. Patients were divided into three groups: GJ group with enteral nutrition (EN, n = 12, 14%), NG (n = 31, 36%) and GT groups (n = 43, 50%), both with total parenteral nutrition (TPN)., Results: Patients in the GJ (n = 9, 75%) and GT (n = 18, 42%) groups had an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score of 3 more often than those in the NG group (n = 5, 16%, p ≤ 0.01). Multivariate analysis identified the GT tube with TPN as an independent risk factor of severe morbidity (p = 0.02) and DGE (p < 0.01). An ASA score of 3, jaundice, common pancreatic duct size ≤3 mm and soft pancreatic gland texture (p < 0.05) were found as independent risk factors of PSCs. Use of a GJ tube with EN, GT tube with TPN, jaundice, and PSCs were identified as independent risk factors for greater postoperative length of hospital stay (p < 0.01). Mean global hospitalization cost did not differ between groups., Conclusion: GT tube insertion with TPN was associated with increased severe postoperative morbidity and DGE and should not be recommended. EN through a GJ tube after PD is feasible but does not have clear advantages on postoperative courses compared to an NG tube.

We examined gastric outlet obstruction (GOO) patients who received two weeks of strengthening pre-operative enteral nutrition therapy (pre-EN) through a nasal-jejenal feeding tube placed under a gastroscope to evaluate the feasibility and potential benefit of pre-EN compared to parenteral nutrition (PN). In this study, 68 patients confirmed to have GOO with upper-gastrointestinal contrast and who accepted the operation were randomized into an EN group and a PN group. The differences in nutritional status, immune function, post-operative complications, weight of patients, first bowel sound and first flatus time, pull tube time, length of hospital stay (LOH), and cost of hospitalization between pre-operation and post-operation were all recorded. Statistical analyses were performed using the chi square test and t -test; statistical significance was defined as p < 0.05. The success rate of the placement was 91.18% (three out of 31 cases). After pre-EN, the levels of weight, albumin (ALB), prealbumin (PA), and transferrin (TNF) in the EN group were significantly increased by pre-operation day compared to admission day, but were not significantly increased in the PN group; the weights in the EN group were significantly increased compared to the PN group by pre-operation day and day of discharge; total protein (TP), ALB, PA, and TNF of the EN group were significantly increased compared to the PN group on pre-operation and post-operative days one and three. The levels of CD3+, CD4+/CD8+, IgA, and IgM in the EN group were higher than those of the PN group at pre-operation and post-operation; the EN group had a significantly lower incidence of poor wound healing, peritoneal cavity infection, pneumonia, and a shorter first bowel sound time, first flatus time, and post-operation hospital stay than the PN group. Pre-EN through a nasal-jejunum feeding tube and placed under a gastroscope in GOO patients was safe, feasible, and beneficial to the nutrition status, immune function, and gastrointestinal function, and sped up recovery, while not increasing the cost of hospitalization.

Background: Enteral nutrition therapy is common practice in pediatric clinical settings. Often patients will receive a pump-assisted bolus feeding over 30 minutes several times per day using the same enteral feeding set (EFS). This study aims to determine the safest and most efficacious way to handle the EFS between feedings., Methods: Three EFS handling techniques were compared through simulation for bacterial growth, nursing time, and supply costs: (1) rinsing the EFS with sterile water after each feeding, (2) refrigerating the EFS between feedings, and (3) using a ready-to-hang (RTH) product maintained at room temperature. Cultures were obtained at baseline, hour 12, and hour 21 of the 24-hour cycle. A time-in-motion analysis was conducted and reported in average number of seconds to complete each procedure. Supply costs were inventoried for 1 month comparing the actual usage to our estimated usage., Results: Of 1080 cultures obtained, the overall bacterial growth rate was 8.7%. The rinse and refrigeration techniques displayed similar bacterial growth (11.4% vs 10.3%, P = .63). The RTH technique displayed the least bacterial growth of any method (4.4%, P = .002). The time analysis in minutes showed the rinse method was the most time-consuming (44.8 ± 2.7) vs refrigeration (35.8 ± 2.6) and RTH (31.08 ± 0.6) ( P < .0001)., Conclusions: All 3 EFS handling techniques displayed low bacterial growth. RTH was superior in bacterial growth, nursing time, and supply costs. Since not all pediatric formulas are available in RTH, we conclude that refrigerating the EFS between uses is the next most efficacious method for handling the EFS between bolus feeds.

Objective: To conduct an economic analysis of enteral and parenteral diet costs according to the type of disease and outcome (survivors versus deaths)., Methods: It is a cross-sectional, observational, retrospective study with a qualitative and quantitative design, based on analysis of hospital accounts from a healthcare insurance provider in the Southern region of Brazil., Results: We analyzed 301 hospital accounts of individuals who used enteral and parenteral diets. The total cost of the diet was 35.4% of hospital account total costs. The enteral modality accounted for 59.8% of total dietary costs. The major costs with diets were observed in hospitalizations related to infections, cancers and cerebro-cardiovascular diseases. The major costs with parenteral diet were with admissions related by cancers (64.52%) and dementia syndromes (46.17%). The highest ratio between total diet costs with the total of hospital account costs was in dementia syndromes (46.32%) and in cancers (41.2%). The individuals who died spent 51.26% of total of hospital account costs, being 32.81% in diet (47.45% of total diet value and 58.81% in parenteral modality)., Conclusion: Enteral and parenteral nutritional therapies account for a significant part of the costs with hospitalized individuals, especially in cases of cancers and dementia syndromes. The costs of parenteral diets were higher in the group of patients who died., Objetivo: Realizar uma análise econômica de custos da terapia nutricional enteral e parenteral, conforme o tipo de doença e o desfecho (sobreviventes versus óbitos)., Métodos: Estudo transversal, observacional, retrospectivo, com estratégia qualitativa e quantitativa, a partir da análise de contas hospitalares de uma operadora de saúde da Região Sul do Brasil., Resultados: Foram analisadas 301 contas hospitalares de usuários que utilizaram dieta enteral e parenteral. O custo total com dieta foi de 35,4% do custo total das contas hospitalares. A modalidade enteral representou 59,8% do custo total em dieta. Os maiores custos com dieta foram observados em internações relacionadas a infecções, cânceres e doenças cérebro-cardiovasculares. Os maiores custos com dieta parenteral foram observados nas internações relacionadas aos cânceres (64,52%) e às síndromes demenciais (46,17%). A maior relação entre o custo total com dieta e o custo total da conta foi na síndrome demencial (46,32%) e no câncer (41,2%). Os usuários que foram a óbito consumiram 51,26% dos custos totais das contas, sendo 32,81% com dieta (47,45% do valor total com dieta e 58,81% do custo na modalidade parenteral)., Conclusão: As terapias nutricionais enteral e parenteral representaram uma parte importante dos custos no tratamento de indivíduos hospitalizados, principalmente nos casos dos cânceres e nas síndromes demenciais. O custo com dieta parenteral foi maior no grupo de usuários que foram a óbito.

Background: Enteral nutrition therapy is common practice in pediatric clinical settings. Often patients will receive a pump-assisted bolus feeding over 30 minutes several times per day using the same enteral feeding set (EFS). This study aims to determine the safest and most efficacious way to handle the EFS between feedings., Methods: Three EFS handling techniques were compared through simulation for bacterial growth, nursing time, and supply costs: (1) rinsing the EFS with sterile water after each feeding, (2) refrigerating the EFS between feedings, and (3) using a ready-to-hang (RTH) product maintained at room temperature. Cultures were obtained at baseline, hour 12, and hour 21 of the 24-hour cycle. A time-in-motion analysis was conducted and reported in average number of seconds to complete each procedure. Supply costs were inventoried for 1 month comparing the actual usage to our estimated usage., Results: Of 1080 cultures obtained, the overall bacterial growth rate was 8.7%. The rinse and refrigeration techniques displayed similar bacterial growth (11.4% vs 10.3%, P = .63). The RTH technique displayed the least bacterial growth of any method (4.4%, P = .002). The time analysis in minutes showed the rinse method was the most time-consuming (44.8 ± 2.7) vs refrigeration (35.8 ± 2.6) and RTH (31.08 ± 0.6) (P < .0001)., Conclusions: All 3 EFS handling techniques displayed low bacterial growth. RTH was superior in bacterial growth, nursing time, and supply costs. Since not all pediatric formulas are available in RTH, we conclude that refrigerating the EFS between uses is the next most efficacious method for handling the EFS between bolus feeds., (© 2017 by The American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.)

Background and Aim: Malnutrition represents a serious health care threat, as it increases morbidity, mortality and health care cost. The effective screening and treatment with enteral (EN) or parenteral (PN) nutrition are the key elements of the policy called Optimal Nutrition Care for All (ONCA). The study tried to analyze the impact of the state's economy on the implementation of EN and PN to define its role in ONCA., Material and Methods: an international survey in twenty two European countries was performed between January and December 2014. An electronic questionnaire was distributed to 22 representatives of clinical nutrition (PEN) societies. The questionnaire comprised questions regarding country economy, reimbursement, education and the use EN and PN. Return rate was 90.1% (n = 20)., Results: EN and PN were used in all countries surveyed (100%), but to different extent. The country's income significantly influenced the reimbursement for EN and PN (p < 0.05). It was also associated with the overall use of tube feeding and PN (p = 0.05), but not with the use of oral nutritional supplements (p = 0.165). The use of both, EN and PN at hospitals was not depended on the economy (p > 0.05). Education was actively carried out in all countries, however the teaching at the pre-graduate level was the least widespread, and also correlated with the country income (p = 0.042)., Conclusions: Results indicated that economic situation influences all aspects of ONCA, including education and treatment. The reimbursement for EN and PN seemed to be the key factor of effective campaign against malnutrition., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.)

Preterm infants are extremely vulnerable to a range of morbidities and mortality. Underdeveloped cardiac, respiratory, gastrointestinal, and immune systems in the preterm period increase the risk of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), a serious disease of the gut. NEC affects 5-12% of very-low birth-weight infants, leads to surgery in 20-40% of cases, and is fatal in 25-50% of cases. There are multiple factors that may contribute to NEC, but the exact cause is not yet fully understood. Severe cases can result in intestinal resection or death, and the health care costs average >$300,000/infant when surgical management is required. Different types of nutrition may affect the onset or progression of NEC. Several studies have indicated that bovine milk-based infant formulas lead to a higher incidence of NEC in preterm infants than does human milk (HM). However, it is not clear why HM is linked to a lower incidence of NEC or why some infants fed an exclusively HM diet still develop NEC. An area that has not been thoroughly explored is the use of semielemental or elemental formulas. These specialty formulas are easy to digest and absorb in the gut and may be an effective nutritional intervention for reducing the risk of NEC. This review summarizes what is known about the factors that contribute to the onset and progression of NEC, discusses its health care cost implications, and explores the impact that different formulas and HM have on this disease., Competing Interests: 2 Author disclosures: JS has been funded by the generous support of the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation through the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute, Edmonton, Alberta. J Shulhan, B Dicken, L Hartling, and BMK Larsen, no conflicts of interest., (© 2017 American Society for Nutrition.)

Dementia is a progressive, debilitating disease that often results in weight loss, malnutrition, and dehydration. Feeding tubes are often prescribed; however, this practice can lead to complications. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the use of feeding tubes in elderly demented patients from a social ecological perspective. Results indicated that family members often receive inadequate decision-making education. Many health care professionals lack knowledge of evidence-based guidelines pertaining to feeding tube use. Organizational and financial reimbursement structures influence feeding tube use. Feeding practices for patients with advanced dementia is a complex issue, warranting approaches that target each level of the Social Ecological Model.

Background and Objectives: Children with medical complexity experience frequent interactions with the medical system and often receive care that is costly, duplicative, and inefficient. The growth of value-based contracting creates incentives for systems to improve their care. This project was designed to improve the health, health care value, and utilization for a population-based cohort of children with neurologic impairment and feeding tubes., Methods: A freestanding children's hospital and affiliated accountable care organization jointly developed a quality improvement initiative. Children with a percutaneous feeding tube, a neurologic diagnosis, and Medicaid, were targeted for intervention within a catchment area of >300 000 children receiving Medicaid. Initiatives included standardizing feeding tube management, improving family education, and implementing a care coordination program., Results: Between January 2011 and December 2014, there was an 18.0% decrease (P < .001) in admissions and a 31.9% decrease (P < .001) in the average length of stay for children in the cohort. Total inpatient charges were reduced by $11 764 856. There was an 8.2% increase (P < .001) in the percentage of children with weights between the fifth and 95th percentiles. The care coordination program enrolled 58.3% of the cohort., Conclusions: This population-based initiative to improve the care of children with medical complexity showed promising results, including a reduction in charges while improving weight status and implementing a care coordination program. A concerted institutional initiative, in the context of an accountable care organization, can be part of the solution for improving outcomes and health care value for children with medical complexity., (Copyright © 2017 by the American Academy of Pediatrics.)

Background: Under-five children are a medically fragile group which is compromised by hospitalization. Malnutrition in those patients not only increases complications and mortality but also affects hospital resource utilization. Therefore, this study was conducted to clarify the impact of malnutrition on hospital expenditures., Methods: This prospective cohort study was performed at a tertiary hospital in Thailand. Under-five children who were admitted to general pediatric wards were included. Demographic data, the length of stay (LOS), and anthropometric measurements at admission were recorded. The classification of wasting and stunting were defined according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification. Moreover, all hospital expenses were calculated directly based on the actual billing including the total hospital cost, cost of bed, enteral formula, medications, medical apparatus and procedures, nursing care, investigations and surgery., Results: One-hundred and five patients with a mean age of 26.8 ± 1.8 months were included. The majority of them were males (61%) with the leading cause of infectious disease. According to the prevalence of malnutrition, the percentage of patients who had only stunting or wasting were 24.8% and 10.5%, respectively while 15.2% of all patients had both stunting and wasting. Regardless of stunting, the wasting patients had a significantly higher cost of bed, enteral formula, nursing care, and medical apparatus. Particularly, the highest costs of all expenditures including the total hospital cost were found in patients who were both stunted and wasting. Apart from the financial burdens, the wasting patients stayed longer in the hospital and the LOS also significantly correlated with the total hospital cost (r = 0.84, p = 0.01)., Conclusions: The present study underscores the high prevalence of malnutrition in under-five pediatric patients. The malnourished patients, in particular the wasting group, had longer LOS and consequently had increased hospital expenses., (Copyright © 2016 European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

OBJECTIVE : To examine the cost-effectiveness of intensive interdisciplinary behavioral treatment (IIBT) to address severe pediatric feeding difficulties and lead to the removal or prevention of gastrostomy tubes (G tubes) from the perspective of the insurance company.  METHODS : Costs associated with G tubes and IIBT were compiled from the available literature and national databases. Costs were updated to price at the start of 2015 to allow data from different years to be analyzed on the same scale.  RESULTS : One-way sensitivity and two-way threshold analyses demonstrated that IIBT may be a cost-effective treatment for prevention and removal of G tubes over 5 and 10 years.  DISCUSSION : Data from this study can be used to justify cost of services for IIBT, and programs can use these data to discuss conservative savings of IIBT based on their treatment model and level of effectiveness., (© The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Pediatric Psychology. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

The decision of whether or not to use artificial nutrition or hydration is one with which many health care providers, patients, and families struggle. These decisions are particularly challenging in the setting of life-limiting illness, which is often associated with a prolonged decline because of medical advances in these patient populations. A patient-centered and family-centered approach helps to attain high-quality care in this special population., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Survival of children with intestinal failure has improved over the last decade, resulting in increased health care expenditures. Our objective was to determine outpatient costs for the first year after primary discharge., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed in pediatric intestinal failure (PIF) patients between 2010 and 2012. Patients were stratified into 3 groups (1=enteral support with no devices [7 patients], 2=enteral support with devices (gastrostomy and/or ostomy) [19 patients], 3=home parenteral nutrition (HPN) [22 patients]). Data abstraction included clinical characteristics and costs related to medication, enteral/parenteral nutrition, and supplies were calculated. Data were analyzed using one way ANOVA., Results: Forty-eight patients (mean age 7.6months; 31 males [65%]) were studied. See attached table for results. HPN patients had significantly more ambulatory visits (p<0.0001), number of admitted days (p=0.01), and productive days lost (p<0.0001). Total cost of care was significantly higher for HPN patients (mean=$320,368.50, p<0.0001) when compared to other groups. Costs covered by the health care system were significantly higher for patients on HPN (mean=$316,101.56, p<0.0001)., Conclusion: The outpatient expenditures to care for PIF patients in the first year post primary discharge are significant. Our single payer health care system supports the majority of costs, but families are also incurring expenses related to travel and lost productivity. Children on HPN have more visits to hospital, but have access to more funding options. Children solely on gastrostomy or stoma therapy, however, have a significantly greater personal financial burden., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Malnutrition is a common problem in critically ill patients in UK NHS critical care units. Early nutritional support is therefore recommended to address deficiencies in nutritional state and related disorders in metabolism. However, evidence is conflicting regarding the optimum route (parenteral or enteral) of delivery., Objectives: To estimate the effect of early nutritional support via the parenteral route compared with the enteral route on mortality at 30 days and on incremental cost-effectiveness at 1 year. Secondary objectives were to compare the route of early nutritional support on duration of organ support; infectious and non-infectious complications; critical care unit and acute hospital length of stay; all-cause mortality at critical care unit and acute hospital discharge, at 90 days and 1 year; survival to 90 days and 1 year; nutritional and health-related quality of life, resource use and costs at 90 days and 1 year; and estimated lifetime incremental cost-effectiveness., Design: A pragmatic, open, multicentre, parallel-group randomised controlled trial with an integrated economic evaluation., Setting: Adult general critical care units in 33 NHS hospitals in England., Participants: 2400 eligible patients., Interventions: Five days of early nutritional support delivered via the parenteral (n = 1200) and enteral (n = 1200) route., Main Outcome Measures: All-cause mortality at 30 days after randomisation and incremental net benefit (INB) (at £20,000 per quality-adjusted life-year) at 1 year., Results: By 30 days, 393 of 1188 (33.1%) patients assigned to receive early nutritional support via the parenteral route and 409 of 1195 (34.2%) assigned to the enteral route had died [p = 0.57; absolute risk reduction 1.15%, 95% confidence interval (CI) -2.65 to 4.94; relative risk 0.97 (0.86 to 1.08)]. At 1 year, INB for the parenteral route compared with the enteral route was negative at -£1320 (95% CI -£3709 to £1069). The probability that early nutritional support via the parenteral route is more cost-effective - given the data - is < 20%. The proportion of patients in the parenteral group who experienced episodes of hypoglycaemia (p = 0.006) and of vomiting (p < 0.001) was significantly lower than in the enteral group. There were no significant differences in the 15 other secondary outcomes and no significant interactions with pre-specified subgroups., Limitations: Blinding of nutritional support was deemed to be impractical and, although the primary outcome was objective, some secondary outcomes, although defined and objectively assessed, may have been more vulnerable to observer bias., Conclusions: There was no significant difference in all-cause mortality at 30 days for early nutritional support via the parenteral route compared with the enteral route among adults admitted to critical care units in England. On average, costs were higher for the parenteral route, which, combined with similar survival and quality of life, resulted in negative INBs at 1 year., Future Work: Nutritional support is a complex combination of timing, dose, duration, delivery and type, all of which may affect outcomes and costs. Conflicting evidence remains regarding optimum provision to critically ill patients. There is a need to utilise rigorous consensus methods to establish future priorities for basic and clinical research in this area., Trial Registration: Current Controlled Trials ISRCTN17386141., Funding: This project was funded by the NIHR Health Technology Assessment programme and will be published in full in Health Technology Assessment; Vol. 20, No. 28. See the NIHR Journals Library website for further project information.

Background: Disease-related malnutrition is known to have significant clinical and economic consequences. This systematic review of recent evidence aimed to establish the cost-effectiveness of identifying and treating malnutrition in the hospital setting., Methods: A search of four electronic databases and the Internet was conducted for relevant publications from 2003 to 2013. The search strategy considered both nutritional care and healthcare costs. Hospitalised adults with, or at risk of malnutrition, were the focus of the review. Eligibility criteria included publications of original research to identify or treat malnutrition through usual care. Studies with a focus on enteral and parenteral nutrition interventions were beyond the scope of the review. Methodological quality was assessed using the Consensus on Health Economic Criteria checklist., Results: Of the 1174 records identified through database searching, 19 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Three studies were included in the final review, highlighting the absence of recent high quality cost-effectiveness studies in this field. One economic modelling study and two prospective clinical trials were included of moderate to high methodological quality., Conclusions: Definite conclusions could not be drawn regarding the cost-effectiveness of individual interventions because of the heterogeneity of treatments, controls and populations. The present review highlights an evidence gap in the care of malnourished hospitalised adults, limiting the ability of clinicians and healthcare managers to make informed, cost-effective treatment decisions. Further economic evaluations are needed and should be considered as a routine component of future research., (© 2015 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.)

Diabetes-specific formulas are an effective alternative for providing nutrients and maintaining glycemic control. This study assesses the effect of treatment with an oral enteral nutrition with a hypercaloric diabetes-specific formula (HDSF) for one year, on health-care resources use, health-care costs, glucose control and nutritional status, in 93 type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) malnourished patients. Changes in health-care resources use and health-care costs were collected the year before and during the year of intervention. Glucose status and nutritional laboratory parameters were analyzed at baseline and one-year after the administration of HDSF. The administration of HDSF was significantly associated with a reduced use of health-care resources, fewer hospital admissions (54.7%; p < 0.001), days spent at hospital (64.1%; p < 0.001) and emergency visits (57.7%; p < 0.001). Health-care costs were reduced by 65.6% (p < 0.001) during the intervention. Glycemic control (short- and long-term) and the need of pharmacological treatment did not change, while some nutritional parameters were improved at one year (albumin: +10.6%, p < 0.001; hemoglobin: +6.4%, p = 0.026). In conclusion, using HDSF in malnourished older type-2 diabetic patients may allow increasing energy intake while maintaining glucose control and improving nutritional parameters. The use of health-care resources and costs were significantly reduced during the nutritional intervention.

Purpose of Review: This article describes the current best available evidence on optimal nutrition in the paediatric intensive care based on different levels of outcome, which can be divided in surrogate and hard clinical outcome parameters., Recent Findings: Undernutrition is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, whereas in specific cohorts of critically ill children, such as those with burn injury, obesity is associated with more complications, longer length of stay, and decreased likelihood of survival. There is a relation with adequacy of delivery of enteral nutrition and the amount of protein on length of hospital stay, neurological status, and mortality. Studies relating organ function, other than skin healing after thermal injury, with the nutritional status are scarce. There is also a scarcity of data concerning long-term follow-up and health economics., Summary: Until now, there are no randomized controlled trials which have investigated a causal relation between different feeding regimens on the nutritional status and short and long-term outcome. As a result current optimal nutritional strategies are based on small trials with surrogate outcome parameters. Prospective randomized studies are needed with nutritional and/or metabolic interventions to come to an optimal feeding strategy for critically ill children.

Strategies for improving nutrition therapy (NT) are of utmost importance in any healthcare system. The identification and treatment of malnourished patients improves clinical outcome and reduces the length of hospital length of stay and the associated costs. In particular, federal policy regulating the use of NT in Brazil and reimbursement of enteral nutrition (EN) treatment were 2 powerful mechanisms that stimulated the development of nutrition care. Basic and clinical research have also contributed to best practices in NT, thereby highlighting the need for nutrition therapy teams, quality indicators, and nutrition education for the delivery of high-quality NT. It is clear that the availability of training and continuing education programs in clinical nutrition is key to improving nutrition awareness and care, as well as patient outcome. On the basis of our experience, we recommend the Brazilian model as a strategy for improving nutrition care, with appropriate and necessary adaptations made to accommodate different settings., (© 2015 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.)

Background: The procedures needed to insert nasojejunal tubes (NJTs) are often invasive or uncomfortable for the patient and require hospital resources. The objectives of this study were to describe our experience in inserting a self-propelling NJT with distal pigtail end and evaluate clinical validity and cost efficacy of this enteral nutrition (EN) approach compared with parenteral nutrition (PN)., Materials and Methods: Prospective study from July 2009 to December 2010, including hospitalized noncritical patients who required short-term jejunal EN. The tubes were inserted at bedside, using intravenous erythromycin as a prokinetic drug. Positioning was considered correct when the distal end was beyond the ligament of Treitz. Migration failure was considered when the tube was not positioned into the jejunum within 48 hours postinsertion., Results: Fifty-six insertions were recorded in 47 patients, most frequently in severe acute pancreatitis (69.6%). The migration rates at 18 and 48 hours postinsertion were 73.2% and 82.1%, respectively. There was migration failure in 8.9% of cases, and 8.9% were classified null (the tube was no longer in the gastrointestinal tract at 18 hours). There were no reported or observed complications. The mean duration of the EN was 12 ± 10.8 days. Five different types of EN formula were used. The total study cost was 53.9% lower compared with using PN in all patients., Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that bedside insertion of a self-propelling NJT is a safe, cost-effective, and successful technique for postpyloric enteral feeding in at least 73% of the patients, and only 18% of patients could eventually need other placement techniques. It can avoid the need for more aggressive or expensive placement techniques or even PN if we cannot achieve enteral access., (© 2015 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.)