title: Blenderized Tube Feeding Use in Adult Home Enteral Nutrition Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Use of long-term enteral nutrition (EN) has increased dramatically in the United States. It has been the authors' experience that most home EN (HEN) patients use blenderized tube feeding (BTF) in addition to commercial EN. There are limited resources available for patients interested in BTF, and studies evaluating safety and effectiveness are limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors conducted a prospective cross-sectional study (n = 54).
  
  
  METHODS
  age >18 years, follow-up in HEN clinic, prescribed commercial EN. Participants were provided the survey at HEN follow-up appointments after receiving HEN for at least 3 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Median age (range) was 60.5 (22-87) years with 42.6% females (n = 23). BTF was used by 55.5% of patients (n = 30). Most (57%; n = 31) received HEN for >6 months. BTF use was a median of 4 (1-7) days per week. Most common reasons for using BTF were as follows: it is more natural (43%), like eating what their family does (33%), and tolerate BTF better (30%). In patients who use BTF, 80% reported maintaining goal body weight. BTF resulted in significantly less reported nausea, vomiting, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation compared with commercial EN.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This is the first study to evaluate BTF use in an adult HEN population. More than 50% of our patients used and approximately 80% expressed a desire to use BTF if provided with adequate information. With new connection tube changes coming in the near future, adequate adapters for BTF need to be developed.
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, University of Louisville School of Medicine, Louisville, Kentucky hurt.ryan@mayo.edu.
authors.forename: Ryan T
authors.initials: RT
authors.lastname: Hurt
authors.affiliation: Division of General Internal Medicine Second Department of Internal Medicine, Charles University Faculty of Medicine, Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: Jithinraj
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Edakkanambeth Varayil
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Epp
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Adele K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pattinson
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lammert
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Jennifer E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Lintz
authors.affiliation: Division of Endocrinology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors.forename: Manpreet S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Mundi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006699:Home Care Services; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: enteral formula; enteral nutrition; home enteral nutrition; nutritional support