PEG Insertion in Patients With Dementia Does Not Improve Nutritional Status and Has Worse Outcomes as Compared With PEG Insertion for Other Indications

Abstract

PEG insertion in patients with dementia neither improve both short-term and long-term mortality nor rehospitalization rate as compared with patients who underwent PEG placement for alternate indications such as other neurological diseases or head and neck malignancy and even was associated with shorter time to death. Furthermore, PEG insertion in patients with dementia did not improve albumin. Therefore, careful selection of patients with dementia is warranted before PEG placement weighing the risks and benefits on a personalized basis.