ENTERAL NUTRITION IN THE PUBLIC CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF CORRIENTES: EVALUATION OF THE PRESCRIPTION CHARACTERISTICS

• Published in: Annals of nutrition and metabolism 2017-10, Vol.71 (Suppl. 2), p.1076
• Main Authors: Vidomlansky, Patricia Ruth Romero, Colussi, Narella Antonina, Cabral, Agostina Ximena, Aguirre, María Victoria, de Lapertosa, Silvia Gorban
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Appendicitis; Burns; Cancer; Children; Children & youth; Congenital defects; Data storage; Demographic variables; Demographics; Diagnosis; Enteral nutrition; Epilepsy; Formulations; Fractures; Hospitalization; Indication; Ingredients; Intervention; Medical diagnosis; Nutrition; Nutritional status; Patients; Pediatrics; Physicians; Powder; Public health; Respiratory diseases; Statistical analysis
• ISSN: 0250-6807; 1421-9697
• DOI: 10.1159/000480486

Background and objectives: In order to achieve an adequate nutritional intervention in hospitalized children, a diagnosis and monitoring of the nutritional status must be performed before and during hospitalization, and this diagnosis must be known by all health staff. However, there is no yet an integrated system of the clinical histories (CH) data storage in Corrientes, especially concerning to Nutrition Service. The creation of this system would favor a consensual analysis and the elaboration of a specific regulation for the provision of pediatric nutritional support in the public health of the province. Objective: To know the characteristics of Enteral Nutrition (EN) prescribed in hospitalized patients at the Children's Hospital (Corrientes, Argentina) in order to improve the pediatric EN provision system. Methods: A descriptive study in patients hospitalized at Children 's Hospital, Corrientes, during September/2016. The EN prescription circuit, CH, Lactarium orders and nutrient ingredients purchase worksheets were analyzed. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate relationships between demographic, clinical and economic variables. Results: Of a total of 254 hospitalized patients during the study period, were observed 110 childrens with indication of EN (46 females, 64 males), in Interment Room 58%, ICU 28%, Burns 8%, Hemato-oncology 6%. The age was 3.42±4.02 years. The prevalent diagnosis at admission was respiratory disease (24%), while others included: burns, appendicitis, epilepsy, cancer, congenital malformations and accidents, cuts and fractures. During September, the time of internment was: 8.67±7.97 days and consumption of EN: 8.33±7.12 days. Patients received the different formulations from the powder individual ingredients prepared in Lactarium, orally, by nasogastric tube or gastric button. The CH analyses revealed that the attending physicians indicated EN regarding patient weight percentile and basic disease requirements in 80% of the cases, while only 20% of the children had nutritionist indication of an appropriate diet. Conclusions: The clinical histories failed to reflect the necessary data to decide the nutritional support to be supplied, operating according to daily requirements. This research serves as a basis for the development of a pediatric AE provision Program in the Public Health system of Corrientes.