Nick
I don't agree that there is evidence that omega-3 EFA deficiency is common in the general population. Sub-optimal status may or may not be common, but that is a separate issue.
Setting that aside, the specific question here is whether EFA deficiency is anything other than very rare in patients receiving long term home parenteral nutrition with modern regimens.
If you can indicate any published evidence to support your suggestion that EFA deficiency is a significant problem in this group of patients and that routine monitoring is warranted then I would certainly be happy to look at it, as someone whose practice is most definitely driven by science. At the moment I am not aware of such evidence, and clearly NICE were not aware of it either.
And I don't think cost saving is a bad thing where evidence is lacking in the current economic climate!
Best wishes
Ian
Prof.Ian S. Young
Professor of Medicine and Director of The Centre for Public Health
Queen's University Belfast
1st Floor ICS B Block
Royal Victoria Hospital
Grosvenor Road
Belfast
BT12 6BJ
Northern Ireland
tel: +44 (0) 2890 632743
fax: +44 (0) 2890 235900
email: [log in to unmask]
------ACB discussion List Information--------
This is an open discussion list for the academic and clinical community working in clinical biochemistry.
Please note, archived messages are public and can be viewed via the internet. Views expressed are those of the individual and they are responsible for all message content.
ACB Web Site
http://www.acb.org.uk
Green Laboratories Work
http://www.laboratorymedicine.nhs.uk
List Archives
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/ACB-CLIN-CHEM-GEN.html
List Instructions (How to leave etc.)
http://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/
|