COVID-19 infection in patients on long-term home parenteral nutrition for chronic intestinal failure.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: To investigate the incidence and the severity of COVID-19 infection in patients enrolled in the database for home parenteral nutrition (HPN) for chronic intestinal failure (CIF) of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN). METHODS: Period of observation: March 1st, 2020 March 1st, 2021. INCLUSION CRITERIA: patients included in the database since 2015 and still receiving HPN on March 1st, 2020 as well as new patients included in the database during the period of observation. Data related to the previous 12 months and recorded on March 1st 2021: 1) occurrence of COVID-19 infection since the beginning of the pandemic (yes, no, unknown); 2) infection severity (asymptomatic; mild, no-hospitalization; moderate, hospitalization no-ICU; severe, hospitalization in ICU); 3) vaccinated against COVID-19 (yes, no, unknown); 4) patient outcome on March 1st 2021: still on HPN, weaned off HPN, deceased, lost to follow up. RESULTS: Sixty-eight centres from 23 countries included 4680 patients. Data on COVID-19 were available for 55.1% of patients. The cumulative incidence of infection was 9.6% in the total group and ranged from 0% to 21.9% in the cohorts of individual countries. Infection severity was reported as: asymptomatic 26.7%, mild 32.0%, moderate 36.0%, severe 5.3%. Vaccination status was unknown in 62.0% of patients, non-vaccinated 25.2%, vaccinated 12.8%. Patient outcome was reported as: still on HPN 78.6%, weaned off HPN 10.6%, deceased 9.7%, lost to follow up 1.1%. A higher incidence of infection (p = 0.04), greater severity of infection (p < 0.001) and a lower vaccination percentage (p = 0.01) were observed in deceased patients. In COVID-19 infected patients, deaths due to infection accounted for 42.8% of total deaths. CONCLUSIONS: In patients on HPN for CIF, the incidence of COVID-19 infection differed greatly among countries. Although the majority of cases were reported to be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms only, COVID-19 was reported to be fatal in a significant proportion of infected patients. Lack of vaccination was associated with a higher risk of death.

Covid-19 Infection In Patients On Long-Term Home Parenteral Nutrition For Chronic Intestinal Failure☆

Background and aims To investigate the incidence and the severity of COVID-19 infection in patients enrolled in the database for home parenteral nutrition (HPN) for chronic intestinal failure (CIF) of the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN). Methods Period of observation: March 1st, 2020 March 1st, 2021. Inclusion criteria: patients included in the database since 2015 and still receiving HPN on March 1st, 2020 as well as new patients included in the database during the period of observation. Data related to the previous 12 months and recorded on March 1st 2021: 1) occurrence of COVID-19 infection since the beginning of the pandemic (yes, no, unknown);2) infection severity (asymptomatic;mild, no-hospitalization;moderate, hospitalization no-ICU;severe, hospitalization in ICU);3) vaccinated against COVID-19 (yes, no, unknown);4) patient outcome on March 1st 2021: still on HPN, weaned off HPN, deceased, lost to follow up. Results Sixty-eight centres from 23 countries included 4,680 patients. Data on COVID-19 were available for 55.1% of patients. The cumulative incidence of infection was 9.6% in the total group and ranged from 0% to 21.9% in the cohorts of individual countries. Infection severity was reported as: asymptomatic 26.7%, mild 32.0%, moderate 36.0%, severe 5.3%. Vaccination status was unknown in 62.0% of patients, non-vaccinated 25.2%, vaccinated 12.8%. Patient outcome was reported as: still on HPN 78.6%, weaned off HPN 10.6%, deceased 9.7%, lost to follow up 1.1%. A higher incidence of infection (p=0.04), greater severity of infection (p<0.001) and a lower vaccination percentage (p=0.01) were observed in deceased patients. In COVID-19 infected patients, deaths due to infection accounted for 42.8% of total deaths. Conclusions In patients on HPN for CIF, the incidence of COVID-19 infection differed greatly among countries. Although the majority of cases were reported to be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms only, COVID-19 was reported to be fatal in a significant proportion of infected patients. Lack of vaccination was associated with a higher risk of death.

Care of patients on home parenteral nutrition during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic: Management of central line-associated bloodstream infections.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: The aim of this study was to analyze central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI) in home parenteral nutrition (HPN) patients assisted by an interdisciplinary team during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina. METHODS: Longitudinal, retrospective and analytical study of patients on HPN for ≥90 days during 2020. Data collection included age (adults >18 years, pediatric ≤18 years), gender, diagnosis, type of catheter, number of lumens, venous access, days on HPN, infusion modality and number of CLABSI-associated events. In COVID-19 cases, number of patients, disease progression, mortality rate and microorganisms involved were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 380 patients were included, 120 (31.6%) pediatric and 260 (68.4%) adult patients. Median age was 44.50 years (10; 62.25). Twelve patients (3.15% of the total) had COVID-19; of these, two pediatric and seven adult patients had no complications, and three adults died of COVID-19 pneumonia. The diagnoses observed were benign chronic intestinal failure (CIF, n = 311), grouped into short bowel (n = 214, 56.3%), intestinal dysmotility (n = 56, 14.7%), intestinal fistula (n = 20, 5.3%), and extensive small bowel mucosal disease (n = 21, 5.5%); malignant tumors (n = 52, 13.7%); other (n = 17, 4.4%). Total catheter days were 103,702. Median days of PN duration per patient were 366 (176.2, 366). The types of catheters used were tunneled (317 patients, 83.4%); peripherally inserted central (PICC) line (55 patients, 14.5%) and ports (8 patients; 2.1%). A total of 111 CLABSI was registered, with a prevalence of 1.09/1000 catheter days (adult, 0.86/1000 days; pediatric, 1.51/1000 days). The microorganisms identified in infectious events were Gram + bacteria (38, 34.5%); Gram-bacteria (36, 32%); mycotic (10, 9%); polymicrobial (4, 3.6%); negative culture and signs/symptoms of CLABSI (23, 20.3%). The odds ratio between pediatric and adult patients was 2.29 (1.35, 3.90). CONCLUSION: The rate of CLABSI during the COVID-19 pandemic was within the ranges reported by international scientific societies. The risk of CLABSI was higher in pediatric patients, and mortality rate in COVID-19 infected patients was higher than in the general population.