Goal: To identify the current status of out-patient enteral nutrition among elderly patients in Galicia: indications, access routes, forms of administration, types of diet, complications, disability status. Assessment of nutritional status and concomitant pharmacological treatment.
Methods: Prospective, observational, multi-centric study lasting for one month. Data capture by means of a questionnaire regarding: age, sex, diagnosed pathology leading to nutritional analysis, disability status, current nutritional status, type of diet, months under treatment with NEA (out-patient enteral nutrition in its Spanish acronym), form of administration, complications, concomitant medication. The statistical methodology included a descriptive analysis and a study of the correlations between the different variables. For the comparison of both groups, Student's t test or Mann-Whitney's U test was used for quantitative variables and chi-squared, Yate's correction or Fisher's exact test was used for qualitative variables.
Results: 469 patients were studied, corresponding to 13 publicly-funded centres. Age: 81.15 years (95% CI 80.8-82.3), women (70.6%).
Diagnosis: neurological disorders (46.1%), cerebrovascular accidents (27.5%), neoplasia (12.4%) and others (14.1%). 45.2% presented a bedbound disability status and 53.5% presented communication difficulties. Standard diet was the most common (39.4%). DURATION OF THE NUTRITION: > 1 year in 36.7% of cases, between 6 months and 1 year for 21.3%, between 3 and 6 months for 10.9% and < 3 months in 13.7% of cases. Nasogastric tube was the route for administration in 55.2%. Patients with nutrition treatment lasting over 1 year presented a significantly lower rate of malnutrition (p < 0.0001). Neurological patients and those with communication difficulties had a lower prevalence of malnutrition (p < 0.0001), as did those with a greater degree of disability (p < 0.01). Undernourished patients presented a greater prevalence of bedsores (49.1% versus 25.8%, p < 0.0001). The mean number of prescribed medicines was 3.27 +/- 2.41, with 64% of them being administered through the nasogastric tube. The most frequent interaction was digoxin-fibre (29.6%) and incorrect administration was observed with omeprazol and medication to combat Parkinson's disease.