Pharmaceutical interventions in metabolic and nutritional follow-up of surgical patients receiving parenteral nutrition.

PURPOSE To assess a control protocol concerning alterations in metabolic follow-up parameters in the context of a pharmaceutical care program designed for surgical patients receiving parenteral nutrition, through determination of the impact of pharmaceutical interventions on associated metabolic complications. METHODS Prospective interventional study of two-months' duration performed in surgical patients receiving parenteral nutrition. The study variables included predefined biochemical parameters within the metabolic-nutritional profile. Four categories were established to classify the degree to which each parameter was altered: a) no alteration (within normal range); b) alteration with no associated complication; c) moderate complication, and d) severe complication. The type of pharmaceutical intervention carried out included a direct intervention on their part or a recommendation. Statistical differences between the mean analytical values before and after the intervention were assessed by parametric and non-parametric tests (P< .05). RESULTS A total of 1055 analytical determinations corresponding to 44 patients were evaluated. Among them, 239 determinations (22.6%) presented some degree of alteration which corresponded to 162 complications. Complication is often defined whit more than one parameter. Ninety-three (57.4%) corrective interventions were carried out by direct intervention and 16 (9.9%) by recommendation. The results showed statistically significant differences or significant trend when the purpose of the pharmaceutical direct intervention was to increase albumin, prealbumin, potassium or phosphate levels or to decrease C-reactive protein, glucose or triglycerides. Significant differences or significant trend were not seen when no intervention was performed. CONCLUSION Despite the fact that the parameters assessed may have been influenced by factors other than the parenteral nutrition treatment received, our findings show that systematic monitoring of specific analytic parameters can be effective for attaining success in nutritional therapy, in terms of improvement in nutritional status and prevention and control of associated complications.