This article requires a subscription to view the full text. If you have a subscription you may use the login form below to view the article. Access to this article can also be purchased.
Abstract
Objective To determine the impact of percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes in patients with advanced Huntington disease (HD).
Methods A retrospective chart review of patients with HD was conducted to assess the rate of pneumonia and pressure ulcer, length of life, changes in weight, and serologic nutritional measures. Surviving and deceased patients with and without PEG tubes were compared using descriptive statistical analysis.
Results One hundred forty-eight records were reviewed (39 patients with PEG tubes). The mean age of patients still alive and diagnosed with HD was 58.3 ± 12.7 years and age at death (n = 62) 57.7 ± 10.3 years. At the time of analysis, the mean duration of HD was 14.2 ± 7 years. Groups were similar in sex, age, and weight at admission. In those deceased, insertion of a PEG tube increased the length of life with HD by 3.6 years (16.2 ± 6.7 vs 13.2 ± 4.9 years). PEG tube placement significantly reduced cholesterol levels, increased the prevalence of skin ulcers and the rate of pneumonia. Insertion of a PEG tube did not significantly change weight or albumin levels.
Conclusions PEG tube placement in advanced HD provided benefit in the length of life, but weight, other nutritional measures, and the rate of pneumonia were either not impacted or worsened with the insertion of a PEG tube. Impact on quality of life needs further study, but providers, patients, and families should consider all options when discussing preferences for interventions.
Classification of Evidence This study provides Class IV evidence that for patients with advanced HD, PEG tube placement increases the length of life but has no or negative impacts on nutritional measures.
Footnotes
Funding information and disclosures are provided at the end of the article. Full disclosure form information provided by the authors is available with the full text of this article at Neurology.org/cp.
Class of Evidence: NPub.org/coe
- Received September 25, 2020.
- Accepted March 19, 2021.
- © 2021 American Academy of Neurology
AAN Members
We have changed the login procedure to improve access between AAN.com and the Neurology journals. If you are experiencing issues, please log out of AAN.com and clear history and cookies. (For instructions by browser, please click the instruction pages below). After clearing, choose preferred Journal and select login for AAN Members. You will be redirected to a login page where you can log in with your AAN ID number and password. When you are returned to the Journal, your name should appear at the top right of the page.
AAN Non-Member Subscribers
Purchase access
The Nerve!: Rapid online correspondence
REQUIREMENTS
You must ensure that your Disclosures have been updated within the previous six months. Please go to our Submission Site to add or update your Disclosure information.
Your co-authors must send a completed Publishing Agreement Form to Neurology Staff (not necessary for the lead/corresponding author as the form below will suffice) before you upload your comment.
If you are responding to a comment that was written about an article you originally authored:
You (and co-authors) do not need to fill out forms or check disclosures as author forms are still valid
and apply to letter.
Submission specifications:
- Submissions must be < 200 words with < 5 references. Reference 1 must be the article on which you are commenting.
- Submissions should not have more than 5 authors. (Exception: original author replies can include all original authors of the article)
- Submit only on articles published within 6 months of issue date.
- Do not be redundant. Read any comments already posted on the article prior to submission.
- Submitted comments are subject to editing and editor review prior to posting.
You May Also be Interested in
Hastening the Diagnosis of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Dr. Brian Callaghan and Dr. Kellen Quigg