What we do
About our project
Background
Children with intestinal failure have insufficient gut mass or function to absorb nutrients, and therefore depend on parenteral nutrition to grow. Parenteral nutrition is often associated with complications. Measuring their growth and body composition from diagnosis onwards would provide important information on these children’s nutritional needs and the long-term effects of parenteral nutrition. The overall goal in the treatment of children with intestinal failure is to decrease and eventually stop the parenteral nutrition. Markers that can predict tolerance of enteral nutrition would be very helpful herein.
Aims of the study
The aims of this study are to characterize growth and body composition in children with intestinal failure and the association with parenteral nutrition; and to gain insight in parameters of influence in weaning off parenteral nutrition.
Research method
In patients receiving home parenteral nutrition, we measure body composition; i.e. fat mass and fat-free mass, with air-displacement plethysmography.
Several markers of intestinal adaptation and enterocyte function will be repeatedly measured in urine, stool and blood samples.
Desirable outcome
We wish to add knowledge on how to improve the treatment of children with intestinal failure when it comes to maintaining growth, promoting intestinal adaptation and preventing complications, in order to achieve the best long-term management and outcomes.
Funds & Grants
Collaborations
Internal collaborations
- Department of Pediatric Surgery
- Department of Internal Medicine (Endocrinology)
External collaborations
- University of Glasgow, Department of Human Nutrition, School of Medicine, College of Medicine, Veterinary and Life Sciences (Glasgow, United Kingdom)
- Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology (Toronto, Canada)
- Department of Surgery, NUTRIM, School of Nutrition and Translational Research in Metabolism (Maastricht, The Netherlands)
Publications
Body composition using air displacement plethysmography in children with intestinal failure receiving long-term home parenteral nutrition. Esther Neelis, Stefanie Kouwenhoven, Joanne Olieman, Merit Tabbers, Cora Jonkers, Jonathan Wells, Mary Fewtrell, Ren ́e Wijnen, Edmond Rings, Barbara de Koning, Jessie Hulst. (2019).
The Gut Microbiome in Patients with Intestinal Failure:Current Evidence and Implications for Clinical Practice. Esther Neelis, Barbara de Koning, Edmond Rings, René Wijnen, Ben Nichols, Jessie Hulst, Konstantinos Gerasimidis. (2018).
Our team
- Esther Neelis, MD, PhD student
- Lotte Vlug, MD, PhD student
- Jessie Hulst, MD, PhD, pediatric gastroenterologist
- Barbara de Koning, MD, PhD, pediatric gastroenterologist
- Joanne Olieman, RD, PhD, dietitian
- René Wijnen, MD, PhD, pediatric surgeon, head of department of Pediatric Surgery
- Edmond Rings, MD, PhD, pediatric gastroenterologist, head of department of Pediatrics
- The Intestinal Failure team
