Longitudinal assessment of outcome, health status, and changes in lifestyle associated with long-term home parenteral and enteral nutrition.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to assess the health status, frequency of therapy-related symptoms, and impact of home parenteral and enteral nutrition (HPEN) on lifestyle in patients who were stable and had nonmalignant diagnoses. Assessments were made at 2 time points, 3 years apart.


METHODS
Institutional review board approval was obtained. Adult HPEN patients self-completed a general health status questionnaire (SF-36) and a lifestyle-symptom questionnaire in 1993 and 1996. Demographic data relating to underlying disease state and infusion regimen were also collected.


RESULTS
Seventeen patients (7 men, 10 women; 13 receiving home parenteral nutrition [HPN] and 4 receiving home enteral nutrition [HEN]) participated in the study. The mean (SEM) duration of HPEN therapy at the start of the study was 7.1 (1.6) years. Although health status as assessed by SF-36 scores was lower in all categories when compared with age- and gender-matched control data from the general US population (p < .05), there was no significant difference in SF-36 scores between the 2 time periods (p > .05). Sleep, travel, and social activities were the most affected aspects of the patient's lifestyle.


CONCLUSIONS
These data suggest that patients with nonmalignant underlying disease receiving HPEN maintain a stable health status over a prolonged period.
Malone
Margaret
M
Department of Pharmacy Practice, Albany College of Pharmacy, New York 12208, USA. malonem@acp.edu
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016331:Parenteral Nutrition, Home / Q000009:adverse effects; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome