Key takeaways:
- Parenteral nutrition complications, especially infections and pain, remain a major burden in short bowel syndrome.
- Surveyed clinicians favored reduced time on reduced time on support over reduced volume.
CHICAGO — For patients with short bowel syndrome, reduced time on parenteral support may mitigate burdens such as central line complications, fatigue and decreased quality of life, according to a survey of health care professionals.
Results, presented at Digestive Disease Week, indicated that limiting the days per week and hours per day that patients spend receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN) may benefit those with short bowel syndrome (SBS) reliant on this support.
“Reducing the risks associated with parenteral support — especially central venous access complications — should be a primary focus in SBS management,” lead author Syed-Mohammed R. Jafri, MD, a gastroenterologist and transplant hepatologist at Henry Ford Health, told Healio. “While maintaining adequate nutrition remains essential, clinicians clearly prioritize interventions that decrease hospitalizations, improve safety and reduce treatment burden.
“Even modest reductions in TPN use are considered meaningful and achievable clinical goals,” he continued.
Jafri and colleagues conducted a noninterventional, cross-sectional online survey of health care professionals to evaluate perceptions of TPN-related complications, clinical burden and outcome priorities for new therapies.
Researchers identified 336 health care professionals — 213 in Europe and 123 in the U.S. — who were actively managing at least one patient with SBS with a minimum 2 years of experience treating the condition. More than half of respondents were men (60.1%) and most were aged 40 to 59 years (69%).
Among those surveyed, 42% were physicians, 23% were pharmacists and 18% were dietitians. Nearly half (45.2%) primarily practiced gastroenterology, 23.5% focused on clinical nutrition or nutritional support, and 17.3% specialized in internal medicine.
According to results, common complications experienced by patients on TPN include central line infections (59.8%), fatigue (47.9%), central line pain (43.2%), stomach pain (40.5%), edema (37.5%) and thrombosis (29.5%)
Central line infections (49.7%) and central line pain (44%) were identified as the most distressing complications for patients.
Respondents cited concerns with central venous catheters (48.2%), reduction in quality of life (34.8%) and hepatotoxicity (32.4%) as key limitations of TPN.
Top therapeutic priorities were reducing TPN days per week (46.4%) and hours per day (30.1%). Fewer respondents advocated for reducing TPN volume (11.3%).
“Reducing the number of days on TPN directly decreases exposure to central venous catheters, thereby lowering the risk of infections, thrombosis and other complications,” Jafri said. “Shorter infusion times may also reduce metabolic strain and improve patient adherence and overall management feasibility.”
Limiting TPN time could also ease the burden on caregivers, he added.
The health care professionals also felt that reduced TPN dependence may improve quality of life (60.1%), result in fewer line infections (56%) and lower thrombosis risk (53.6%).
“Less dependence on infusions could translate to decreased hospitalization rates and reduced health care utilization, which were key priorities for clinicians in the survey,” Jafri said. “Over time, this shift could move the management of SBS from a high-risk, resource-intensive model toward a more stable and sustainable approach.”
For more information:
Syed-Mohammed R. Jafri, MD, can be reached at gastroenterology@healio.com.
Sources/Disclosures
Source:
Jafri SR, et al. Burden of total parenteral nutrition for patients with short bowel syndrome dependent on parenteral support: Healthcare professional perspectives on risks, limitations and treatment priorities. Presented at: Digestive Disease Week; May 2-5, 2026; Chicago.
Disclosures:
Jafri reports no relevant financial disclosures. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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