The Role of Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography in the Diagnosis of Biliary Atresia: 14 Years' Experience.

Introduction:  Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare destructive inflammatory obliterative cholangiopathy of neonates. Early diagnosis is important in disease management. The aim was to evaluate the role of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) in diagnosing BA in a large cohort.

Quality of Life and Nutrition Condition of Patients Improve Under Home Parenteral Nutrition: An Exploratory Study.

Background: Patients with end-stage cancer and advanced chronic bowel disease are often malnourished, which has a negative effect on patients' outcome, well-being, and activity. It is inconclusive whether these patients benefit from home parenteral nutrition. This prospective exploratory study investigates its influence on nutrition state, muscle strength, mobility, and quality of life.

Complication and mortality rate after percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy are low and indication-dependent.

Objective: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) is often used for the feeding of patients with malnutrition due to dysphagia, and despite more than 30 years experience, numerous questions on its benefit remain. This was a prospective observational study to assess the safety of PEG.

Material And Methods: One hundred and nineteen patients mean age 63 years (21-91 years) who were admitted to the Hannover Medical School between November 2010 and March 2012 and had an indication for PEG according to the German guidelines were included.

Assessment of xylitol serum levels during the course of parenteral nutrition including xylitol in intensive care patients: a case control study.

Background & Aims: Xylitol has been approved for parenteral nutrition and may be beneficial in catabolic situations. The aim was to establish an easy method to monitor xylitol serum levels in patients receiving xylitol and to determine whether xylitol is safe.

Methods: A commercially available xylitol test was validated and used to measure serum levels in 55 patients admitted to our intensive care unit with an indication for parenteral nutrition with xylitol for at least 24 h.

Tolerability and efficacy of a low-volume enteral supplement containing key nutrients in the critically ill.

Background & Aims: To compare early supplementation with antioxidants and glutamine using a low-volume enteral supplement containing key nutrients to an energy adjusted standard elementary diet and to investigate its effect on clinical efficacy and tolerability in critically ill patients with sepsis/SIRS. The primary endpoints were length of stay in the ICU and sufficient enteral feed.

Methods: This was a randomized, prospective, single-blind, controlled study in 58 critically ill patients (56.