title: A survey of the enteral nutrition practices in patients with neurological disorders in the tertiary hospitals of China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  With the development of enteral nutrition in patients with neurological disorders in China, related guidelines were published in 2011. The Chinese Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition conducted a survey to evaluate the status quo of enteral nutrition practices in these patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  This multicenter prospective investigation was conducted from April 2012 to April 2013 and involved 18 tertiary hospitals in China. The survey using standardized questionnaires sought information about the basic protocols for enteral nutrition (devices and staffing) and specific information about patients with neurological conditions who received nutrition by way of enteral feeding.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 18 hospitals from 13 provinces, 83.3% patients were configured with an enteral nutrition infusion pump, 77.8% had a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) device, and 88.9% had a clinical nutrition support group. Four hundred four patients participated in this survey (259 men, 145 women; mean age 61.3±14.7 years), 85.7% had suffered a stroke, 83.9% had impaired consciousness, and 98.0% had dysphagia. Of the 10 guidelines for enteral nutrition practices, setting the energy target, choosing the enteral nutrition tube, and monitoring the patient received unsatisfactory ratings were in poor compliance (56.2%, 30.0% and 38.9%, respectively); the remaining seven guidelines were in good compliance (each >75%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The survey suggested that configuration of the enteral nutritional devices and staffing was adequate in China's tertiary hospitals. However, some associated practices had not yet reached the desired levels of competency, indicating a need for this to be understood and for improved training.
authors.affiliation: Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. Email: tangsuyingying@sina.com.
authors.forename: Ying-Ying
authors.initials: YY
authors.lastname: Su
authors.affiliation: Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Dai-Quan
authors.initials: DQ
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Nangjing Brain Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Rui-Juan
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Sha
authors.affiliation: First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Shanxi, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Yuan
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.affiliation: First Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui, China.
authors.forename: Chang-Qing
authors.initials: CQ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: West China Hospital, Sichuan, China.
authors.forename: Dong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Xijing Hospital, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: The General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Fang
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Norman Bethune University of Medical Science, Changchun, China.
authors.forename: Yi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Nanfeng Hospital, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Su-Yue
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.affiliation: The First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical College, Wenzhou, China.
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
authors.forename: Lian-Di
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Huashan Hospital, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Liang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Peng
authors.affiliation: Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Chun-Long
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.affiliation: Linyi People's Hospital, Linyi, China.
authors.forename: Zhen-Chuan
authors.initials: ZC
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Tangdu Hospital, Xi'an, China.
authors.forename: Li-Hong
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, China.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.affiliation: Hebei General Hospital, Shijiazhuang, China.
authors.forename: Pei-Yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Lv
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002681:China; D002149:Energy Intake; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D009752:Nutritional Status; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000379:methods; D011446:Prospective Studies; D062606:Tertiary Care Centers