Outcome of patients treated with home enteral nutrition.

Background: The aims of this study were to prospectively analyze the 1-month mortality and long-term outcome of home enteral nutrition (HEN) patients in order to determine the benefits of this treatment.

Methods: Between 1990 and 1996, 417 patients, aged 64 +/- 25 years, were discharged on HEN and followed up until December 31, 1998, when outcome was assessed, which allowed us to determine survival probabilities and conditions associated with survival.

Results: The mean duration of HEN was 242 +/- 494 days, with a 24- to 103-month follow-up.

Energy metabolism and substrate oxidation in patients with Crohn's disease.

Weight loss and malnutrition are common features in patients with Crohn's disease. This study was designed to evaluate diet-induced thermogenesis and substrate oxidation in patients with Crohn's disease. Twenty-three patients (17 women, 6 men; age 34 +/- 2 y) and 17 healthy control subjects (13 women, 4 men; age 36 +/- 3 y) were studied.

Quality of life in long-term home enteral nutrition patients.

Background And Aims: Few data are available on the quality of life of home enteral nutrition (HEN) patients. This study was designed to assess both the quality of life of long-term HEN patients and the evolution of quality of life after initiation of HEN.

Methods: Quality of life-related parameters were analysed in 38 patients (24M, 14F) aged 56 +/- 5 years who had been on HEN for more than 2 months (mean 25 +/- 5 months).