[Home parenteral nutrition for adults. Results of a multicenter survey in France].

Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is a growing therapy in North America and Europe. This first multicenter retrospective study of HPN in France has collected data on 81 patients sent home before December 31st, 1985. Intestinal failure, secondary to short bowel syndrome, small bowel stenosis or fistula, was the main indication for HPN. In 95 p. 100 of the cases, the clinical nutritional status during HPN was either normal or subnormal. The annual incidence of catheter change for technical complication was 0.78 and the mortality rate was 1.2 p. 100. Social rehabilitation was recovered during HPN in 60 p. 100 of patients. Thirty percent of the patients died of their primary disease during HPN but 43 p. 100 were off treatment, and 27 p. 100 were on HPN at the end of the study. The cost of HPN was reduced by 64 p. 100 in comparison with the cost of parenteral nutrition carried out in hospital.