Improved nutritional management reduces length of hospitalization in intractable diarrhea.

Sixteen patients were managed by one of two specific refeeding protocols to compare the efficacy of two enteral formulas in the nutrition restoration of infants with intractable diarrhea (IDI). The protocols outlined specific nutritional therapy including transition from parenteral to enteral nutrition; concentration, volume, and steps of advancement of formulas. Patient progress was monitored daily. Average length of stay, number of days on parenteral nutrition support, and number of formula changes for the IDI protocol groups were compared with a retrospective chart audit group of 29 IDI patients. The protocol groups had substantially fewer days of parenteral nutrition support, significantly fewer formula changes (p less than 0.01), and fewer days of hospitalization. The differences resulted in $14,750 of charges saved per protocol patient.