Point Prevalence of Adult Intestinal Failure in Republic Of Ireland

Area of Science:

• Clinical Medicine
• Gastroenterology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Parenteral Nutrition (PN) is a critical intervention for patients with Intestinal Failure (IF).
• Home PN (HPN) requires specialized care to mitigate serious complications.
• Prevalence and complication rates of IF requiring PN in the Republic of Ireland (ROI) were previously unquantified.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of IF requiring long-term PN and HPN in ROI.
• To identify and quantify major complications associated with PN in IF patients.
• To evaluate the impact of healthcare setting on patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A nationwide survey of all tertiary centers in ROI was conducted.
• Data on patient numbers, PN duration, and complications were collected over a one-year period.
• Prevalence rates and complication frequencies were calculated.

Main Results:

• Sixty-seven patients received PN for IF, with prevalence rates of 14.6/million for long-term PN and 9.6/million for HPN.
• Major complications occurred in 75% of patients, with an 18% mortality rate.
• HPN patients averaged 2.86 admissions per year, with one-third experiencing catheter-related infections.

Conclusions:

• IF requiring PN presents a significant clinical challenge in ROI, with high complication and mortality rates.
• Centralization of care in a National Centre for IF/HPN is crucial for reducing complications and improving patient management.
• Further research into optimizing HPN protocols and reducing infection rates is warranted.