TAKE HOME POINTS:
1: For patients who are at high nutritional risk and are unable to maintain oral intake, enteral nutrition should be initiated early.
2: In patients with advanced disease, the purpose of nutrition support is to provide comfort and palliation of symptoms.
However, if the patient’s life span is limited and nutrition support is deemed futile, it is reasonable to withhold or withdraw it.
REFERENCES
1.McClave, Stephen A MD1; DiBaise, John K MD, FACG2; Mullin, Gerard E MD, FACG3; Martindale, Robert G MD, PhD4. ACG Clinical Guideline: Nutrition Therapy in the Adult Hospitalized Patient. American Journal of Gastroenterology 111(3):p 315-334, March 2016.
2. Bechtold, M. L., Brown, P. M., et al. ASPEN Enteral Nutrition Committee. (2022). When is enteral nutrition indicated?. Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition, 46(7), 1470-1496. Cotognil P. Enteral versus parenteral nutrition in cancer patients: evidences and controversies. Ann Palliat Med. 2016;5(1):42‐49
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