La gastrostomía afecta positivamente al estado nutricional y disminuye los días de hospitalización en pacientes con errores innatos del metabolismo

Introduction: the nutrition management of patients with inborn errors of metabolism (IEM) requires the permanent use of elemental medical formulas whose organoleptic characteristics sometimes impede oral acceptance. In addition, these patients may have gastrointestinal disorders and require constant use of drugs, that often complicate treatment adherence, thereby committing their nutritional status and disease control. Gastrostomy is an alternative to facilitate feeding and treatment, but its use is controversial. Objective: to compare nutrition status and length of hospitalizations before and after gastrostomy surgery in a group of IEM patients. Methods: retrospective analysis of anthropometric data, number of hospitalizations due to metabolic decompensation and length in pediatric patients with IEM before and after gastrostomy. Results: 16 children were analyzed, 40% with propionate disorders, 25% with abnormal urea cycle and 35% other IEM. After gastrostomy, the number of eutrophic patients increased from 6-56%, and malnutrition decreased from 94 to 44%. After gastrostomy inpatient hospital days significantly decrease from 425 to 131 (p = 0.011), admission numbers pre-gastrostomy decreased from 33 to 17, however this difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: in this sample, gastrostomy improved nutritional status in 56% of EIM patients and significantly reduced hospital days caused by metabolic decompensation.