Aim:

The aim of the study is to determine the incidence and risk factors of total parenteral nutrition (TPN) associated complications in preterm infants.

Materials and Methods:

TPN was administered to a total of 294 neonates for at least 24 hours in the neonatal intensive care unit and their files were evaluated retrospectively. Demographic data, enteral and parenteral nutrition status and TPN associated complications were recorded from patients’ records. Patients with TPN associated complications were compared to patients without complication in terms of clinical risk factors and nutritional status.

Results:

Of these 294 patients constituting the study group, 85 (28.9%) developed complications related to TPN. The most common complication was sepsis (33 infants). Deterioration in liver function tests was observed in 18 patients serum electrolit imbalance was seen in 19 thrombocytopenia was observed in 11 cases and hyperlipidemia was found in four patients. In patients with TPN associated complications, there were no statistically significant differences in the starting time of TPN. However, it was determined that the total duration of TPN, the initial time for enteral nutrition and reaching full enteral feeding were significantly longer in patients with TPN associated complications.

Conclusion:

We observed that the incidence of the TPN associated complications in critically ill babies with very low birth weights, who had to receive prolonged TPN being unable to tolerate enteral feeding, had increased. Therefore, it was concluded that new strategies should be developed to reduce the risk of TPN associated complications in neonatal intensive care units.

Keywords: Preterm, parenteral nutrition, complication, newborn