Objective
To determine the prevalence of specific micronutrient (iron, zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, selenium, copper, folate, vitamins A, D, E and B12) deficiencies in children with intestinal failure (IF), and identify risk factors associated with developing these deficiencies.
Study design
A retrospective review of prospectively collected data from 178 children with IF managed by the intestinal rehabilitation program at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Ohio, USA between August1st 2007 and July 31st 2012. Transition to full enteral nutrition (FEN) was defined as the period during which the patient received between 20%–100% of estimated required nutrition enterally. FEN was defined as the patient tolerating all of the estimated required nutrition (100%) enterally for > 2 weeks.
Results
Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) was the most common cause of IF (27.5 %). Iron was the most common micronutrient deficiency identified during (83.9%) and after (61%) successful transition to FEN with significant reduction in the percentage of patients with iron deficiency between the two periods (P=0.003). Predictors of micronutrient deficiency after successful transition to FEN include birth weight (P=0.03), weight percentiles (P=0.02), height percentiles (P=0.04) and PN duration (P=0.013). After multivariate adjustments, only PN duration remained statistically significant (P=0.03).
Conclusions
Micronutrient deficiencies persist in patients with IF during and after transition to enteral nutrition. These data support the need for routine monitoring and supplementation of these patients especially those on prolonged PN.