Sep 15, 2025
1:00 PM2:00 PM
Poster Session
P920
COSTS OF HOME ENTERAL NUTRITION (HEN) SUPPORT IN ARGENTINA: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS
H. R. Scharlovsky1, L. Duje1, A. L. N. Martinuzzi2,*, A. Crivelli3, F. Pochettino1, M. Puga4
1NUTRIHOME SA, CORDOBA, 2NSU, NUTRIHOME SA, Neuquén, 3NUTRIHOME SA, LA PLATA, 4NUTRIHOME SA, BUENOS AIRES, Argentina
Rationale: Home Enteral Nutrition (HEN) is a therapeutic approach that enables patients with impaired oral intake to receive necessary nutritional support in their home environment. While international studies highlight the economic benefits of HEN over hospital-based nutrition, data on its cost structure remain scarce. This study aims to describe the direct healthcare and non-healthcare costs of HEN in Argentina and to compare cost differences between patients with permanent and temporary enteral access.
Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 1.400 patients receiving exclusive HEN in October 2024, assessed costs related to medical care, nutrition support, formula, and logistics and analysed using SPSS IBM 26, testing variables with parametric and non-parametric tests, and quantile regression applied to control for confounders.
Results: Results showed that 76.7% of patients had permanent enteral access. Mean monthly direct healthcare cost per patient was $201,509 ARS for permanent access and $204,712 ARS for temporary access (p=0.423). Patients with higher caloric needs and specialized formulas, such as fiber-enriched or hypercaloric formulations, incurred higher costs. Additionally, those requiring continuous infusion presented increased expenses due to the necessity of additional administration supplies. Transportation and supply costs varied, but no significant difference was found in total expenditures between access types.
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Conclusion: The findings suggest that the primary cost driver is the type and amount of formula required, which is influenced by patient-specific nutritional needs. Understanding these factors may help optimize resource allocation and improve cost-efficiency in home-based enteral nutrition programs.
Disclosure of Interest: None declared