Enteral tube feeding in adults with cystic fibrosis; patient choice and impact on long term outcomes

AbstractBackgroundEnteral tube feeding (ETF) has been evaluated in paediatric and mixed child and adult populations with cystic fibrosis, demonstrating positive outcomes from 6months to 2years post insertion. No studies have examined the longer term nutritional and clinical outcomes in an exclusively adult population with cystic fibrosis or compared the outcomes for those who meet standard criteria and opt to undertake or decline ETF.MethodsTwenty three out of 380 patients attending the Leeds Regional Adult CF unit fulfilled the standard criteria for commencing ETF (CF Trust, 2002) between 2004 and 2008. Weight, BMI, FEV1, FVC, CFRD, and number of intravenous antibiotic treatment days were collected at 1year pre baseline, at baseline, and at 1, 2, and 3years post baseline for all these patients whether they accepted or declined ETF.ResultsSeventeen of the 23 patients agreed to accept a programme of ETF, two of whom died within the first year of ETF. In the remaining patients (n=15), weight increased by 19.5% from baseline (p