Intestinal Failure

Optimizing parenteral nutrition (PN) therapy and limiting risk of hepatic complications in patients with acute intestinal failure (IF) on short-term supplemental PN and in chronic IF patients on long-term PN. 

Contatti

In acute or chronic intestinal failure (IF), gut function is reduced below the minimum level necessary for absorption of macronutrients, micronutrients, electrolytes, and water.1,2 The causes of acute and chronic IF are diverse, with PN frequently required to maintain growth and health.1,2  

Doctor and couple talk

Long-term PN may increase the risk of liver complications

While patients with chronic IF require PN to meet their nutritional needs,2 PN treatment may disturb hepatic function and lead to intestinal failure associated liver disease (IFALD).3 IFALD can present as cholestasis, cholelithiasis, hepatic steatosis, and hepatic fibrosis, and in rare cases progress to liver cirrhosis and liver failure.4 To avoid liver complications associated with long-term PN, ESPEN guidelines recommend that the use of soybean-based lipid emulsions is kept below 1 g/kg/day, that overfeeding is avoided, and that PN therapy is provided as cyclic infusions.

Doctor and patient

Meet the unique nutritional needs of your IF patients

Patients with chronic IF require long-term home PN,5 whereas those with acute IF are often in need of short-term PN or supplemental PN.1 Baxter provides a range of formulations and solutions to meet the unique nutritional needs of patients with chronic or acute IF. This includes solutions that can be administered peripherally for short-term nutrition and ready-to-use three-chamber bags (3CBs) should long-term home PN be required.

Male and female doctor talk

PN solutions containing olive oil-based lipids may improve safety and are well tolerated

Baxter’s portfolio of PN solutions is rich in olive oil, and results from a randomized clinical trial suggest that olive oil may improve liver function as compared to soybean oil in IF patients on long-term PN.6 Likewise, a study suggested that olive oil-based solutions may reduce inflammatory responses in patients with IF receiving long-term home PN.7

Learn more about nutrition in intestinal failure

PN solutions for optimizing nutrition in intestinal failure patients