Children with intestinal failure benefit from Teduglutide

Marta German Diaz's study, published in the European Journal of Pediatrics revealed Teduglutide to be a safe and effective treatment for pediatric intestinal failure (IF), reducing the need for parenteral support.

This national multicenter prospective study involved children with IF treated with Teduglutide for a minimum of 3 months. Thirty-one patients had a median age of 2.3 years at the start of treatment.

Short bowel syndrome (SBS) was the leading cause of IF (94%), primarily attributed to necrotizing enterocolitis (35%). The median duration of Teduglutide therapy was 19 months, with 74% of patients treated for over 1 year and 29% for over 3 years. The response of the therapy was estimated in 30 patients.

Results showed that 24 patients (80%) experienced more than a 20% reduction in their weekly parenteral nutrition (PN) energy, and 23 patients (77%) saw a similar reduction in their weekly PN volume. Among responders, 9 patients (29%) were successfully weaned off PN, with a median treatment duration of 6 months and younger patients at the beginning of treatment were more likely to achieve a substantial decrease in the amount of parenteral nutrition they required every week. However, some patients with IF require extended Teduglutide to accomplish enteral autonomy.