[INTESTINAL FAILURE IN PEDIATRIC PATIENTS: EXPERIENCE AND MANAGEMENT BY A MULTIDISCIPLINARY GROUP].

BACKGROUND

institutions with multidisciplinary teams have shown improvements in patient outcomes with intestinal failure. Multidisciplinary approach allows an integral management and effective communication between families and care teams.

OBJECTIVE

describe the multidisciplinary management and outcome in pediatric patients with intestinal failure.

METHODS

retrospective study in patients 18 years old or less, with intestinal failure and Total Parenteral Nutrition (TPN) required. Simple frequencies and percentages were used for qualitative variables, and central tendency and dispersion measures were used for quantitative variables.

RESULTS

33 patients with a median follow up of 281 days were evaluated. The median duration of the TPN was 68 days and the mean of catheter-related infections was 2.26 per patient. In 31 patients oral or enteral nutrition was provided, starting in 61.3% of cases through tube and continuous infusion. As concomitant treatment 72.7% of children received ursodeoxycholic acid, 67.7%, cholestyramine 57.6% loperamide, 48.5% antibiotics and 36.4% probiotic. The families of 24 patients were evaluated by social work professionals. Intestinal autonomy was achieved in 69.7% of cases, 72.7% of them showed an improvement in the score z of weight and showed an end albumin significantly higher than the initial (p value: 0.012).

CONCLUSIONS

the management of patients with intestinal failure is a challenge for health institutions and require care based on a standardized protocol and a multidisciplinary group.