The effect of enteral fibre-containing feeds on stool parameters in the post-surgical period

Specialised nutritional support includes both enteral and parenteral routes. When oral intake is not an option, but gastro-intestinal function is present, enteral tube feeding should be considered. However, one of the complications of enteral feeding access is diarrhoea. The aim of this study was to test the effect of fibre on a local population, in a prospective, single-blinded trial to determine whether the presence of fibre in enteral feeds reduced the incidence of diarrhoea in Asian patients.

Sixteen post-surgical candidates were randomly assigned to receive a fibre-supplemented (FSF) enteral formula or a fibre-free formula (FFF) for 10 days post-surgery to assess the usefulness of FSF in reducing the incidence of diarrhoea in tube-fed patients. Differences in stool consistency, stool frequency, capillary blood glucose and serum albumin levels between the two groups were determined. Antibiotic usage in both groups was noted.

Patients in the FSF group had more bowel movements throughout the 10-day period and firmer stools than the FFF group, but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.39). There were no significant differences in daily mean glucose levels between both groups.

We conclude that there is insufficient evidence that fibre-containing enteral formulae reduce the incidence of diarrhoea in tube-fed patients in the short term. However, these products could inherently be included for patients on tube-feeds during extended periods, with the prospect of maintaining gut function integrity and flora.