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Abstract
Seventy patients, 37 females and 33 males, median age 46 years, have been treated with long-term parenteral nutrition for 816 patient-months, or 68 patient-years. Short-bowel syndrome was the commonest indication for parenteral nutrition (582 patient-months). Twenty-four patients were receiving home parenteral nutrition. Most had severe short-bowel syndrome following intestinal resection for Crohn's disease or mesenteric infarction. Metabolic complications included zinc deficiency syndrome in four patients before routine zinc administration and progressive hali-steresis in five patients. The mortality for 26 patients with short-bowel syndrome was 23%, for 15 patients with intestinocutaneous fistulas 40%, and for 15 patients with severe emaciation for various causes 27%. Parenteral nutrition was withdrawn in 6 (23%) of the 26 patients with short-bowel syndrome, who subsequently were able to maintain body weight with oral feeding. Fifteen patients are still (February 1980) receiving home parenteral nutrition.