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Objectives: A 1993-1995 three year epidemiological survey of home parenteral nutrition was performed through in France in approved centers for adults., Methods: Data were retrospectively collected each year on a standardized questionnaire focussing on indications and short term outcome., Results: All centers (n = 14) participated in the study and 524 new adult patients were recruited. The overall incidence was unchanged at 3.75 patients/10(6) adults. Indications for AIDS rose (8 to 18%) whereas other indications were stable. Prevalence increased by 19%: 4.40 adults/10(6) patients at 01.01.1996. At six months, the probability to stay on treatment was 19.5% for AIDS and cancer indications but 52% for others, whereas death rates were 59% and 9% respectively., Conclusions: For both cancer and AIDS indications, short-term treatment was due to a poor prognosis. For other diagnosis, complicated with a short bowel in 51% of cases, prognosis was excellent but associated with treatment dependency. The latter point focuses on the need for additional treatments in irreversible intestinal failure.

Long-term parenteral nutrition hepatic-related impairment is commonly reported and diversely explained. However, with a low cyclic caloric intake (100% to 130% of basal metabolism calculated with the Harris-Benedict formula) consisting of two-thirds glucose, one-third lipid, and 0.20 to 0.25 g of nitrogen per kilogram per day, these complications were infrequent in a clinical practice of home long-term parenteral nutrition. Retrospectively, it was noticed that the switch from Intralipid 20% to Ivelip 20% at the same amount was followed within 2 months by four cases of jaundice in a population of four home long-term parenteral nutrition patients with short bowel disease. Hepatic disturbances were characterized by cytolysis and cholestasis and were reversible after switching from Ivelip 20% back to Intralipid 20%. Neither viral, nor biliary, nor septic etiologies were detected. The exact pathological mechanism remains unknown. The basal composition of both lipid emulsions seems to be identical: soy oil emulsion emulsified by egg phospholipids. However, some differences exist such as the size of particles, the presence of sodium oleate in Ivelip 20%, and the purification process of lecithin. These may explain the difference in hepatic tolerance during long-term parenteral nutrition.