title: Outcomes of Infants With Home Tube Feeding: Comparing Nasogastric vs Gastrostomy Tubes.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the tube-related complications and feeding outcomes of infants discharged home from the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) with nasogastric (NG) tube feeding or gastrostomy (G-tube) feeding.
  
  
  
  We performed a chart review of 335 infants discharged from our NICU with home NG tube or G-tube feeding between January 2009 and December 2013. The primary outcome was the incidence of feeding tube-related complications requiring emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalizations, or deaths. Secondary outcome was feeding status at 6 months postdischarge. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted.
  
  
  
  There were 322 infants discharged with home enteral tube feeding (NG tube, n = 84; G-tube, n = 238), with available outpatient data for the 6-month postdischarge period. A total of 115 ED visits, 28 hospitalizations, and 2 deaths were due to a tube-related complication. The incidence of tube-related complications requiring an ED visit was significantly higher in the G-tube group compared with the NG tube group (33.6% vs 9.5%, P < .001). Two patients died due to a G-tube-related complication. By 6 months postdischarge, full oral feeding was achieved in 71.4% of infants in the NG tube group compared with 19.3% in the G-tube group ( P < .001). Type of feeding tube and percentage of oral feeding at discharge were significantly associated with continued tube feeding at 6 months postdischarge.
  
  
  
  Home NG tube feeding is associated with fewer ED visits for tube-related complications compared with home G-tube feeding. Some infants could benefit from a trial home NG tube feeding.
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Neonatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Syed Tariq
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Neonatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Uhing
authors.affiliation: 2 Division of Pediatric Gastroenterology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Lori
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Duesing
authors.affiliation: 3 Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Visotcky
authors.affiliation: 3 Division of Biostatistics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: Sergey
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tarima
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Neonatology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
authors.forename: T Hang
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Nghiem-Rao
mesh_terms: D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005774:Gastrostomy; D006699:Home Care Services; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal; D008297:Male; D010351:Patient Discharge; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: complications; enteral feeding tube; neonates; nutrition; outcomes