Parenteral nutrition.
OBJECTIVE
The past 12 months have seen advances in the safe use of intravenous nutrition and its place in the therapeutic armamentarium.


RESULTS
Complications of intravenous nutrition and proposed optimal strategies to avoid them are considered, with particular attention to the hazards of hyperglycaemia. Intravenous nutrition in certain specified conditions is addressed, including its minor role in advanced malignancy. New details on the effects of amended lipid emulsions are presented, together with a meta-analysis of growth hormone and glutamine.


CONCLUSIONS
Parenteral nutrition needs attention to detail if it is to be employed safely and effectively. Special care should be taken to maintain blood glucose in the normal range. There are currently insufficient data to warrant wholesale switching to novel lipid emulsions or the global use of glutamine or growth hormone.
Forbes
Alastair
A
Department of Gastroenterology and Clinical Nutrition, University College Hospital, London, UK. a.forbes@ucl.ac.uk
D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D004655:Emulsions; D005260:Female; D005973:Glutamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013006:Growth Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000628:therapy; D008055:Lipids / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000628:therapy; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000592:standards*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000209:etiology
D001786:Blood Glucose; D004655:Emulsions; D008055:Lipids; D005973:Glutamine; D013006:Growth Hormone