title: Characteristics and Outcomes of Fasting Orders Among Medical Inpatients.
abstract: While many hospitalized patients have orders to fast in preparation for interventions, the extent to which these orders are necessary or adhere to evidence-based durations is unknown. In this study, we analyzed the length, indication, and associated outcomes of nil per os (NPO) orders for general medicine patients at an academic institution in the United States, and compared them to the best available evidence for recommended length of NPO. Of 924 NPO orders assessed, the indicated intervention was not performed for 183 (19.8%) orders, largely due to a change in plan (75/183, 41.0%) or scheduling barriers (43/183, 23.5%). When analyzed by indication, the median duration of NPO orders ranged from 8.3 hours for kidney ultrasound to 13.9 hours for upper endoscopy. For some indications, the literature suggested NPO orders may be unnecessary. Furthermore, in indications for which NPO was deemed necessary in the literature, the duration of most NPO orders was much longer than minimally required. These results suggest the need for establishing more robust practice guidelines or institutional protocols for NPO orders. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2017;12:36-39.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sorita
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Charat
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thongprayoon
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: John T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Ratelle
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Ruth E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Bates
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Katie M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Rieck
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Aditya P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Devalapalli
authors.affiliation: Wichita Falls Family Practice Residency Program, North Central Texas Medical Foundation, Wichita Falls, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Division of Hospital Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
authors.forename: Deanne T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Kashiwagi
mesh_terms: D005215:Fasting / Q000502:physiology*; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D010343:Patient Admission; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011300:Preoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States