BACKGROUND: The direct effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with intestinal failure (IF) has not been described. METHODS: We conducted a nationwide study of U.K. IF centres to evaluate the infection rates, presentations and outcomes in patients with types 2 and 3 IF. RESULTS: A total of 45 patients with IF contracted COVID-19 between March and August 2020; this included 26 of 2191 (1.2%) Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN)-dependent adults and 19 of 298 (6.4%) adults hospitalized with type 2 IF. The proportion of patients receiving nursing care for HPN administration was higher in those with community-acquired COVID-19 (66.7%) than the proportion in the entire HPN cohort (26.1%; p<0.01). Two HPN-dependent and 1 hospitalised patient with type 2 IF died as a direct consequence of the virus (6.7% of 45 patients with types 2 or 3 infected). CONCLUSION: This is the first study to describe the outcomes of COVID-19 in a large cohort of patients of requiring long term PN. Methods to reduce hospital and community nosocomial spread would likely be beneficia. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
COVID-19 infection in patients with intestinal failure: U.K. experience