Underlying disease for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy tube placement predicts short- and long-term mortality

Background: PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) is a well established endoscopic procedure for enteral feeding. However, patients with a shorter life expectancy will not benefit from PEG tube placement. Furthermore, some specific evolving diseases will never benefit from PEG. The aim of the study focuses on short and long term mortality rates after PEG tube placement in a referral gastroenterology centre (Geneva University Hospital). 219 patients were enrolled in this study.

Patients and methods: All patients scheduled for a PEG procedure between January 2011 and December 2014 were included. Nine patient parameters were collected for further analysis as well as the main underlying disease requiring PEG tube placement. Patients were subsequently divided into 4 groups according to underlying disease: Group 1) swallowing disorders of neurologic origin; Group 2) swallowing disorders associated with upper digestive tract neoplasia ; Group 3) nutritional support for a non GI reason ; Group 4) Other.

Results: 219 patients had undergone a PEG tube placement. 33 patients died within 60 days after the procedure. After one year, 71 patients died. Global survival was 870 days. The nutritional support group had the better survival rate with 1276 days compared to the swallowing groups and others. The multivariate analysis has highlighted the underlying disease as the only associated parameter with short and long term mortality.

Conclusions: PEG tube placement is associated with high short and long term mortality depending on the underlying disease. We outlined the potential role of PEG tube insertion as a supportive transient approach for nutritional support.

Keywords: Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG), indication, mortality, palliative procedure, prognosis.