Abstract

COTS SEIGNOT, I. et al. Head and neck cancer patients included at home enteral nutrition by tube. Nutr. Hosp. [online]. 2009, vol.24, n.5, pp.543-547. ISSN 1699-5198.

Objective: To know characteristics and the patients' evolution with head and neck cancer who received radiotherapy treatment and they were included at a home enteral nutrition (HEN) by feeding tube programme. To analyse the weight evolution according to the start of HEN before or after radiotherapy. Methods: Observational study of tube feeding patients with head and neck cancer who were included in HEN programme in our hospital for two years. Variables analysed: gender, age, Body Mass Index (BMI), Karnofsky Index (KI), reason for nutritional support, type of feeding tube, formula used and prescribed caloric contribution, necessity to change access device and HEN days. Results: 62 patients were studied (77.4% men; 22.6% women). Age 64 ± 10.1 years (rang: 39-90). The dysphagia was the main cause to begin enteral nutrition by feeding tube in these patients. Naso-gastric tube was prevalence (67.7%). The most used formula was polymeric hypercaloric diet with a mean of caloric contribution of 1,629 ± 267.09 kcal/day. Overall, there was a weight loss in all patients during the study period time. However, patients who began the HEN by feeding tube before the radiotherapy treatment, the BMI did not decrease. Conclusion: All patients who began feeding tube before oncological treatment didn't lose weight for the period of study.

Keywords : Head and neck neoplasm; Home enteral nutrition; Weight loss.

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