Cost Analysis of Individualized Parenteral Nutrition Bags in a Saudi Tertiary-Care Hospital: A Retrospective Cohort Study and Implications for Cost-Effective Clinical Practice

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN) is a life-sustaining therapy essential for patients who are unable to meet their nutritional needs enterally. However, individualized PN formulations impose substantial economic burdens on healthcare systems. This study aims to quantify the cost of individualized PN bags across different patient populations and identify key cost drivers to inform cost-effective clinical practice and policy development. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, analyzing 900 unique patient-specific PN orders between February 2023 and August 2023. Patients were stratified into three groups: adults (≥18 years), pediatrics (1 month to 17 years), and neonates (