P049 - OPTIMIZING DIARRHEA MANAGEMENT IN ENTERALLY FED PATIENTS WITH C. DIFFICILE AND ON ANTIBIOTICS: A DIETITIAN-LED QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT USING BIMUNO

P049

OPTIMIZING DIARRHEA MANAGEMENT IN ENTERALLY FED PATIENTS WITH C. DIFFICILE AND ON ANTIBIOTICS: A DIETITIAN-LED QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PROJECT USING BIMUNO

A. A. Alfehaidi^1,* on behalf of .

¹HMC, Doha, Qatar

 

Rationale: Diarrhea is a common complication in enterally fed patients, particularly those with C. difficile infections and on antibiotic therapy. This quality improvement project aimed to evaluate the role of dietitians in managing diarrhea in this high-risk population using Bimuno, a prebiotic supplement.

Methods: A six-month quality improvement initiative in a tertiary hospital's ICU focused on reducing diarrhea in enterally fed patients with C. difficile and on antibiotics. The project included baseline assessments, a standardized dietitian-led protocol with Bimuno supplementation, targeted dietary strategies, staff education, and continuous outcome monitoring.

Results: The six-month initiative demonstrated significant improvements in diarrhea management across key metrics:

52% reduction in diarrhea incidence (from 38% to 18% of enterally fed patients) following Bimuno implementation

35% shorter diarrhea duration (median 3.2 days vs. 4.9 days baseline) in antibiotic-treated patients

83% adherence rate to the new feeding protocol incorporating:

Routine Bimuno supplementation (5g bid mixed with feeds)

Systematic medication review for osmotic laxatives/sorbitol-containing drugs.

Twice-weekly stool monitoring using Bristol Scale

Conclusion: This project highlighted the critical role of dietitians in reducing diarrhea in enterally fed patients with C. difficile and on antibiotics, using evidence-based strategies like Bimuno supplementation. It emphasizes the value of dietitian involvement in multidisciplinary care and provides a model for future quality improvement in enteral nutrition management

References: 1.Li, Y., et al. (2023). Prevention and management of enteral nutrition-related diarrhea among adult inpatients: A quality improvement project. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 21(1), 45-52.

 

Disclosure of Interest: A. Alfehaidi Other: .