Enteral tube feeding for cystic fibrosis (Cochrane Review)

A substantive amendment to this systematic review was last made on 27 April 1999. Cochrane reviews are regularly checked and updated if necessary.

Background: Enteral tube feeding is routinely used in many cystic fibrosis centres when weight for height percentage is less than 85%, when there has been weight loss for greater than a two month period or when there has been no weight gain for two to three months (under five years old) or for six months (over five years old).

Objectives: To examine the evidence that in patients with cystic fibrosis supplemental enteral tube feeding improves nutritional status, respiratory function, and quality of life without significant adverse effects.

Search strategy: We searched the Cochrane Cystic Fibrosis and Genetic Disorders Group specialised register and contacted the companies that market enteral feeds and reviewed their databases.Date of the most recent search of the Group's specialised register: February 2002.

Selection criteria: All randomised controlled trials comparing supplemental enteral tube feeding for one month or longer with no specific intervention in patients with cystic fibrosis.

Data collection and analysis: Twelve trials were identified by the search; however, none were eligible for inclusion in this review.

Main results: There are no trials included in this review.

Reviewers' conclusions: Supplemental enteral tube feeding is widely used throughout the world to improve nutritional status in patients with cystic fibrosis. The methods mostly used, nasogastric or gastrostomy feeding, are invasive, expensive, and may have a negative effect on self esteem and body image. Reported use of enteral tube feeding suggests that it results in nutritional and respiratory improvement and it is disappointing that their efficacy has not been fully assessed by randomised controlled trials. With the more frequent recommendations to use enteral tube feeding as an early rather than a late intervention, this systematic review identifies the need for a multi-centre randomised controlled trial assessing both efficacy and possible adverse effects of enteral tube feeding in cystic fibrosis.

Citation: Conway SP, Morton A, Wolfe S. Enteral tube feeding for cystic fibrosis (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 3, 2003. Oxford: Update Software.

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This is an abstract of a regularly updated, systematic review prepared and maintained by the Cochrane Collaboration. The full text of the review is available in The Cochrane Library (ISSN 1464-780X).

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File Reference: AB001198.htm