Intravenous supplementation type and volume are associated with 1-year outcome and major complications in patients with chronic intestinal failure

What is it about?

Our investigation, for the first time, gives scientific and statistical support to what expert professionals commonly use as a “rule of thumb” to denote the severity and complexity of a patient with Chronic intestinal failure (CIF): the type and the volume of the required intravenous support (IVS) at home (home parenteral nutrition, HPN). Importantly, experts widely use these criteria when determining the efficacy of treatments aimed at ameliorating the severity of CIF (e.g. growth factors for short bowel syndrome); specifically, the type and the volume of IVS has been felt to be a key marker of severity in this condition. Furthermore, it is commonly accepted that patients receiving fluid and electrolytes alone are considered at lower risk of HPN/CIF-related complications and/or have a less severe form of CIF than patients requiring parenteral nutrition (PN) and, in addition, that patients requiring high volume PN are considered at higher risk of HPN/IF complications and/or have a more severe form of CIF.

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