[Amyotrophyc lateral sclerosis; gastrointestinal complications in home enteral nutrition]

To analyze the complications related to enteral nutritional support in patients with lateral amyotrophic sclerosis included in our home-based mechanical ventilation program (HMVP), with a special emphasis on gastrointestinal complications.

Retrospective, descriptive study of the patients included in our HMVP directed by intensive care physicians, by means of systematic review of the medical records (included in a Microsoft Access database) during the period 2004-2011.

In the period 2004-2011, 73 patients with a diagnosis of lateral amyotrophic sclerosis were followed: 34 (46.6%) refused nutritional support through gastrostomy or nasogastric tube, whereas 39 (53.4%) accepted. Twenty (51.3%) of the 39 patients with (home-based nutritional support) were females. The mean age of the patients was 60.6 + 13.4 years (95% CI 56.4-64.8). Diagnoses at the time of inclusion in the HMVP were: LAS, 21 cases (53.8%), and LAS with bulbar impairment 18 (43.1%). 34 patients (87.2%) were fed through percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), 3 (7.7%) through surgical gastrostomy, and 3 (7.7%). PEG was performed at the time of inclusion of the patients in the program, with a mean duration of 222.7 + 356.6 days (95% CI: 110.8-334.7). In patients with LAS, the mean duration was 271.4 + 449.5 days (95% CI: 130.3-412.1), and with LAS and bulbar impairment of 126.4 + 131.3 days (95% CI: 90-172.6). The mean duration of the nasogastric tube was 7.3 + 4.8 months (95% CI: 4-10.6). The mean duration of enteral nutrition was 578.6 + 872.9 days (95% CI: 304.7-852.6). There were complications in 35 patients (89.7%), and no complications occurred in only 4 patients (10.3%) (See table 2). Constipation occurred after initiating EN in 30 patients (76.9%); however, it was already present in 18 of them (60%). The remaining gastrointestinal complications observed were: abdominal bloating (9 patients; 23.1%); abdominal pain (6; 15,.4%); nausea and vomiting (5; 12.8%); diarrhea (3; 7.7%).

Gastrointestinal complications are the most common ones; constipation stands out as the main problem in patients with LAS and HEN. However it may not be considered as a complication exclusively due to nutritional support since it is also a manifestation in the disease course. The occurrence of granulomas is also common.