Early versus On-Demand Nasoenteric Tube Feeding in Acute Pancreatitis

Olaf J. Bakker, Sandra van Brunschot, Hjalmar C. van Santvoort, Marc G. Besselink, Thomas L. Bollen, Marja A. Boermeester, Cornelis H. Dejong, Harry van Goor, Koop Bosscha, Usama Ahmed Ali, Stefan Bouwense, Wilhelmina M. van Grevenstein, Joos Heisterkamp, Alexander P. Houdijk, Jeroen M. Jansen, Thom M. Karsten, Eric R. Manusama, Vincent B. Nieuwenhuijs, Alexander F. Schaapherder, George P. van der SchellingMatthijs P. Schwartz, B. W. Marcel Spanier, Adriaan Tan, Juda Vecht, Bas L. Weusten, Ben J. Witteman, Louis M. Akkermans, Marco J. Bruno, Marcel G. Dijkgraaf, Bert van Ramshorst, Hein G. Gooszen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

228 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Early enteral feeding through a nasoenteric feeding tube is often used in patients with severe acute pancreatitis to prevent gut-derived infections, but evidence to support this strategy is limited. We conducted a multicenter, randomized trial comparing early nasoenteric tube feeding with an oral diet at 72 hours after presentation to the emergency department in patients with acute pancreatitis. METHODS We enrolled patients with acute pancreatitis who were at high risk for complications on the basis of an Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score of 8 or higher (on a scale of 0 to 71, with higher scores indicating more severe disease), an Imrie or modified Glasgow score of 3 or higher (on a scale of 0 to 8, with higher scores indicating more severe disease), or a serum C-reactive protein level of more than 150 mg per liter. Patients were randomly assigned to nasoenteric tube feeding within 24 hours after randomization (early group) or to an oral diet initiated 72 hours after presentation (on-demand group), with tube feeding provided if the oral diet was not tolerated. The primary end point was a composite of major infection (infected pancreatic necrosis, bacteremia, or pneumonia) or death during 6 months of follow-up. RESULTS A total of 208 patients were enrolled at 19 Dutch hospitals. The primary end point occurred in 30 of 101 patients (30%) in the early group and in 28 of 104 (27%) in the on-demand group (risk ratio, 1.07; 95% confidence interval, 0.79 to 1.44; P = 0.76). There were no significant differences between the early group and the on-demand group in the rate of major infection (25% and 26%, respectively; P = 0.87) or death (11% and 7%, respectively; P = 0.33). In the on-demand group, 72 patients (69%) tolerated an oral diet and did not require tube feeding. CONCLUSIONS This trial did not show the superiority of early nasoenteric tube feeding, as compared with an oral diet after 72 hours, in reducing the rate of infection or death in patients with acute pancreatitis at high risk for complications
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1983-1993
JournalNew England journal of medicine
Volume371
Issue number21
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2014

Cite this