Background: The direct effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with intestinal failure (IF) has not been described. Methods: We conducted a nationwide study of U.K. IF centres to evaluate the infection rates, presentations and outcomes in patients with types 2 and 3 IF. Results: A total of 45 patients with IF contracted COVID-19 between March and August 2020; this included 26 of 2191 (1.2%) Home Parenteral Nutrition (HPN)-dependent adults and 19 of 298 (6.4%) adults hospitalized with type 2 IF. The proportion of patients receiving nursing care for HPN administration was higher in those with community-acquired COVID-19 (66.7%) than the proportion in the entire HPN cohort (26.1%; p<0.01). Two HPN-dependent and 1 hospitalised patient with type 2 IF died as a direct consequence of the virus (6.7% of 45 patients with types 2 or 3 infected). Conclusion: This is the first study to describe the outcomes of COVID-19 in a large cohort of patients of requiring long term PN. Methods to reduce hospital and community nosocomial spread would likely be beneficial. Clinical relevancy statement 1.2% of 2191 HPN-dependent adults and 6.4% of 298 hospitalized adults with acute severe IF contracted COVID-19 during the first wave of the pandemic in the U.K. 6.7% of adults with types 2 or 3 IF infected with COVID-19 during the study period died as a direct result of viral infection. Methods to reduce hospital and community nosocomial spread would be beneficial.
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