EFFECT OF DIETARY OAT AND SOY FIBER ON BOWEL FUNCTION AND CLINICAL TOLERANCE IN A TUBE-FEEDING DEPENDENT POPULATION

Objective: The role of fiber in tube feeding products has not clearly been defined. While some studies suggest that fiber can increase stool weight and bowel transit time in acutely ill patients, there is less information in stable patients receiving chronic enteral nutritional s upport. Design: Using a crossover study design, we investigated the ef fect of 28.8 g/day of a 50% soy and 50% oat fiber combination in 10 me dically stable residents of a chronic care facility. Subjects were ran domized to initially receive 10 days of either Isocal HN or Ultracal, which are identical in composition except Ultracal contains 14.4 g/L o f fiber. After the first 10-day study, subjects underwent a washout fo llowed by a second 10-day study using the other product. Fecal dye mar kers were used to identify appropriate collection times. Results: Fibe r significantly increased the number of bowel movements per day (0.9 /- 0.4 vs 0.5 a 0.2, p < 0.05) and fecal weights (57 +/- 31 vs 32 +/- 25 g/day, p < 0.05). Fiber also caused a significant increase in fecal nitrogen output (110 +/- 65 vs 75 +/- 74 mg/day, p < 0.05) and fecal energy (141 +/- 73 vs 76 +/- 62 kcal/day, p < 0.05). Fiber did not aff ect fecal moisture, gastric emptying, or intestinal transit time. Conc lusion: We conclude that the addition of a combination of soy and oat fiber to tube feeding material is well tolerated, and promotes regular bowel movements without altering the rate of gastric emptying or inte stinal transit time.