Composition of personalized and standard nutritional mixtures in patients on home parenteral nutrition

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The compounding of personalized parenteral nutrition mixtures (PPNMs) for home parenteral nutrition (HPN) gives the possibility to better satisfy nutritional requirements for patients in selected clinical conditions. The objective of this study was to compare the composition of PPNMs prescribed in selected cases, by a practitioner nutritionist, with that of industrially manufactured standard parenteral nutrition mixtures (SPNMs). SUBJECTS/METHODS: Two hundred and ninety-eight patients (151 men, 147 women, aged 17-87 years) on HPN, followed up in 2011 at our Center, were retrospectively recruited. RESULTS: Industrially manufactured SPNMs were prescribed in 230 (77.2%) patients, whereas compounded PPNMs were prescribed in 68 (22.8%). Formulation of PPNMs, adjusted for body weight, did not significantly differ from SPNMs as regards total daily calorie amount, but was significantly different as far as nutrient composition is concerned (P CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that, presently, PPNMs cannot be completely replaced by SPNMs owing to special needs in macro and/or micronutrients of some patients and/or the necessity of frequent changes in the nutritional mixture composition, at least until stabilization of clinical and metabolic conditions. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2014) 68, 433-436; doi: 10.1038/ejcn.2014.10; published online 12 February 2014 Keywords: home artificial nutrition; home parenteral nutrition; parenteral formulation; parenteral requirements; compounding of parenteral mixtures; standard nutritional mixtures
INTRODUCTION Parenteral nutrition (PN) is indicated in patients who cannot be fed by enteral route, such as those with intestinal failure or obstruction. (1-3) Patients needing PN must be evaluated [...]