Nutrition and health--enteral nutrition in intensive care patients

Nutritional therapy in the intensive care unit exerts favourable effects on morbidity and mortality. Enteral nutrition is preferable to parenteral nutrition. Only perforation or total obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract, proven mesenteric ischaemia and toxic megacolon are absolute contra-indications to enteral nutrition. Early enteral nutrition is effective in decreasing infectious complications and reducing the length of stay in the hospital. Nutrition that is enriched with specific ingredients in order to modulate the immune response is referred to as immunonutrition. The use of immunonutrition, notably in surgical intensive care patients, has a favourable effect on the incidence of infectious complications, the duration of artificial respiration and the length of hospital stay. The addition of glutamine to parenteral nutrition may reduce mortality compared to standard parenteral nutrition. Implementation of a simple feeding algorithm in the intensive care unit, with special attention for the treatment of delayed gastric emptying, is cost-effective and leads to an improvement in the nutritional parameters.     

Parenteral nutrition in obstetric patients

PN is required to maintain or restore an anabolic state when oral enteral routes are not feasible. Despite 22 years of experience with PN, its use during pregnancy has only recently been reported. Most of this information is anecdotal but suggests that this mode of therapy is safe, effective, and occasionally lifesaving. PN during pregnancy has been used most often to provide adequate nutrition for those who suffer from prolonged hyperemesis or who have difficulty absorbing adequate nutrients because of such conditions as Crohn's disease. The proper selection and administration of dextrose, fat, protein, vitamins, trace elements, and electrolytes for pregnant women have been associated with favorable perinatal outcomes. Fat emulsion use does not appear to be associated with any abnormal outcomes. Preterm deliveries and intrauterine fetal growth retardation appear to relate to preexisting or coexisting medical or obstetric complications. Principles for PN with all patients would apply during pregnancy. As with any therapy, the benefits must be weighed against the risks and costs. Sufficient favorable clinical experience over the last 10 years suggests that PN is a relatively safe and effective method for reversing maternal malnutrition and promoting normal fetal growth and development.     

Parenteral nutrition for patients with advanced ovarian malignancy

Background: Parenteral nutrition (PN) in patients with disseminated ovarian cancer remains controversial. The role of PN in providing nutrition and improving quality of life is unclear. The present study aimed to determine the pattern of prescribing in a large teaching hospital, and to identify subgroups where the use of PN was justified. Methods: Sixty‐five patients with advanced ovarian carcinoma received PN between January 2002 and May 2008. A retrospective case note review was undertaken to retrieve data on PN prescribing and outcomes in terms of duration of PN provision, complications, and survival. Results: Three subgroups were identified. Group I consisted of 18 (28%) patients who received PN for a median [interquartile range (IQR)] of 5 (2–11) days. The majority of these 18 patients (n = 13, 72%) had disease‐related terminal bowel obstruction. Out of 18 of these patients, 17 (95%) had poor performance status. The median (IQR) survival was 12 (6–28) days. Group II consisted of 40 (61%) patients who were re‐established on enteral nutrition. The median (IQR) duration of PN administration was 10 (6–17) days. The most common indication of PN was protracted ileus (n = 25, 63%). Out of 40 of these patients, 35 (88%) patients had good performance status. The median (IQR) survival was 264 (96–564) days. The third group of patients required home PN (n = 7, 11%). Four (58%) patients had short bowel syndrome and three (42%) had terminal intestinal obstruction. All of the patients had good performance status. The median (IQR) duration of PN administration and survival was 241 (90–305) days. Conclusions: Administration of PN appears to be justified in those patients with a good performance status (i.e. patients capable of self‐care), which constituted three‐quarters of this cohort. In the remaining patients with poor performance status, and particularly those with terminal intestinal obstruction, PN administration was difficult to justify. PN should not be denied based purely on the pathology, although cautious judgment is required to select those who are most likely to benefit.     

Enteral nutrition in intensive care patients: a practical approach.

Severe protein-calorie malnutrition is a major problem in many intensive care (ICU) patients, due to the increased catabolic state often associated with acute severe illness and the frequent presence of prior chronic wasting conditions. Nutritional support is thus an important part of these patient's management. Over the years, enteral nutrition (EN) has gained considerable popularity, due to its favorable effects on the digestive tract and its lower cost and rate of complications compared to parenteral nutrition. However, clinicians caring for ICU patients are often faced with contradictory data and difficult decision-making when having to determine the optimal timing and modalities of EN administration, estimation of patient requirements and choice of formulas. The purpose of this paper is to provide practical guidelines on these various aspects of enteral nutritional support, based on presently available evidence.     

RSV outbreak in a paediatric intensive care unit

The Royal Liverpool Children's Hospital-Alder Hey paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) usually has a low rate of nosocomial respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection. We report and analyse a major outbreak of nosocomial (acquired) RSV infection on the PICU during a RSV season. All children admitted to the PICU were studied during the six-month winter period 1 October 2002 to 31 March 2002. Nasopharyngeal aspirates were tested using an in vitro enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) membrane test for RSV antigen. PICU-acquired RSV infection was considered to have occurred when a child admitted to the PICU was RSV negative, or from whom no samples were taken as they did not exhibit signs of bronchiolitis, but was RSV positive five or more days after the admission. Fifty-four patients tested RSV positive using the ELISA on the PICU. All the patients were ventilated. Thirty-nine children were RSV positive using the ELISA on admission to the PICU ('imported' cases) and 15 became RSV positive whilst on the PICU ('acquired' cases). The source of the acquired RSV infection accounting for the first peak/outbreak in nosocomial cases were RSV-positive children in isolation cubicles. Acquired cases of RSV infection subsided with reinforcement of traditional methods of barrier precautions. The source of the second peak in nosocomial cases were persistent shedders of RSV. Seventy-three percent (11/15) of the acquired RSV cases had one or more of the following co-morbidities: congenital heart disease, chronic lung disease, airways abnormalities or immunosuppression. Droplet precautions (strict handwashing, use of gloves if handling body fluids, single-use aprons, education) rather than the physical barrier of the cubicle itself played a more important role in curtailing nosocomial spread. Persistent shedders of RSV are an important potential source of nosocomial RSV infection within a PICU. Patients with co-morbidities are at increased risk of nosocomial RSV infection.     

Parenteral nutrition support in major abdominal trauma patients

32 out of 111 patients with major abdominal trauma were studied to evaluate the effects of total parenteral nutrition (TPN). There were 24 men and 8 women with average age of 31 years. 25 cases were recorded as blunt trauma. The others had penetrating wounds. An Abdominal Trauma Index (ATI) was used to score the injury severity. 68% (22 32 ) of the patients had a score of more than 15, and 25% (8 32 ) had a score over 25. TPN was carried out in 11 patients with complicated injuries of the pancreas and duodenum, in 15 cases with small bowel fistula secondary to extended intestinal trauma, and in 6 patients with severe intraabdominal abscesses after injury. The TPN mixture contained 32-42 kcal/kg/day of nonprotein energy and 0.21-0.30 g/kg/day of nitrogen. The average period of TPN support was 26 days. No TPN-related complication developed except 2 cases of catheter-related sepsis. The results demonstrated no significant change in body weight during TPN support. Weekly cumulative nitrogen balances were increased significantly after the use of TPN (from 15.5 g/week at the first week to 48.2 g/week at the fourth week, p < 0.01). There were increases in serum albumin, prealbumin, fibronectin and transferrin following TPN support (from 30.6 g/L, 142.8 mg/L, 103.3 mg/L and 1.2 g/L at day 0 to 35.7 g/L, p < 0.01, 256.3 mg/L, p < 0.01, 184.5 mg/L, p < 0.01, and 1.9 g/L, p < 0.05, at day 21 respectively). Blood sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride remained normal. In 4 patients with duodenal fistula and 6 cases with small bowel fistula (n = 15), the fistulae closed spontaneously. There were no deaths during TPN. We conclude that total parenteral nutrition is of value in the treatment of severe abdominal traumatic patients.     

全胃切除术后肠内营养和肠外营养的Meta分析

目的:以肠内营养(EN)和肠外营养(PN)治疗为对比,评价全胃切除术后采用不同营养支持方式的有效性、经济性和安全性. 方法:检索国外文献Pubmed数据库,同时检索国内文献CNKI、维普和万方数据库,鉴定为随机对照试验,采用RevMan 5.1软件进行Meta分析. 结果:共纳入23个随机对照试验(RCT),Meta分析结果显示,与PN组比,EN组可提高胃癌全胃切除术的血红蛋白[WMD=3.66,95％ CI(1.21,6.11)]和转铁蛋白含量[WMD =0.22,95％ CI(0.13,0.31)],缩短术后住院时间[WMD=4.95,95％ CI(-6.54,-3.37)],减少术后并发症的发生率[OR=0.38,95％ CI(-6.54,-3.37)]. 结论:采用EN对全胃切除术后进行营养支持,能有效地改善病人的营养状况,缩短病人的住院时间,降低并发症的发生率.     

Branched chain amino acid enriched parenteral nutrition in surgical intensive care patients

The metabolic responses to branched chain amino acid enriched total parenteral nutrition were studied in surgical intensive care patients with documented severe catabolism. Twenty-four patients were randomised to receive total parenteral nutrition with either 50% (BCAA) or 15% (Control) of its amino acid content as branched chain amino acids. The daily intake of nitrogen was 0.24 g per kg b. wt and that of energy, at steady state, 45 kcal per kg b. wt. Total parenteral nutrition resulted in similar nitrogen balances (Day 1 BCAA: -0.07 +/- 0.09, Control: -0.05 +/- 0.10; Day 4 BCAA: -0.12 +/- 0.07, Control: -0.06 +/- 0.09; Day 5 BCAA: -0.07 +/- 0.08, Control: -0.05 +/- 0.08 g/kg b. wt day; mean +/- S.D.) in both treatment groups throughout the study. The urinary excretion of 3-methylhistidine was higher before feeding in the control group but the rates were similar during total parenteral nutrition in both groups. There were no differences between the groups in the decrease of serum prealbumin during the study. We conclude that the proposed benefits, if any, from enriching nutritional regimens with branched chain amino acids are unlikely to be of major therapeutic relevance in severe catabolism.     

Parenteral nutrition in patients with diabetes mellitus: theoretical and practical considerations

It is estimated that there are 11 million diabetics in the United States. Increasing recognition of the importance of nutrition in clinical medicine coupled with the frequent hospitalizations of the diabetic patient has heightened interest in their nutritional therapy. Patients with diabetes mellitus exhibit many abnormalities in the regulation of carbohydrate metabolism which may be accentuated during illness as part of the metabolic response to injury. An understanding of the effect of injury/illness, parenteral nutrition, and diabetes mellitus on carbohydrate metabolism is essential for the development of a rational approach to the initiation and maintenance of nutritional support in the diabetic patient.     

外科病人的胃肠外营养

在医治伴有胃肠功能衰竭或胃肠道不能使用的外科病人时,胃肠外营养是很有用的辅助手段.在病程的早期开始应用胃肠外营养比晚期开始好.然而,应避免过多的营养素输入,因为许多代谢性并发症可能因此而发生,危重病人的病情也不会仅仅因为输入过多的营养素而有所改善.     

The effects of standard and branched chain amino acid enriched solutions on thermogenesis and energy expenditure in unconscious intensive care patients

BACKGROUND & AIMS: This study aims to compare the effects of standard and branched chain amino acid enriched solutions on thermogenesis and energy expenditure in unconscious and mechanically ventilated intensive care patients. DESIGNS: The study was carried out at multidisciplinary intensive care unit. Twenty unconscious and mechanically ventilated patients (18-65 years of age) were included in the study. Patients were hemodynamically stable and all received continuous enteral nutrition. Energy expenditure was calculated using the Harris-Benedict Equation for all of the patients. Patients were randomly assigned to receive a 4h infusion of 0.4 g/kg protein as amino acid solution. Group I (n = 10) received standard amino acid solution and group II (n = 10) received branched chain amino acid enriched solution. Energy expenditure, oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production were measured by indirect calorimetric method every 30 min during the 4h infusion period and 3h thereafter. Rectal temperature was recorded concomitantly with the metabolic measurements throughout the study. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant increase in body temperature during the infusion of amino acid solution between 30 and 210 min in group I and between 30 and 120 min in group II (P <0.05). We observed a significant increase in energy expenditure at 30, 150, 180 and 210 min in group I and at 30-240 min in group II (P <0.05). There were no differences between the two groups in terms of thermogenesis or energy expenditure values during the study (P >0.05). CONCLUSION: Thermogenesis and energy expenditure values were increased during the parenteral infusion of both standard amino acid and branched chain amino acid enriched solutions in unconscious intensive care patients without any significance in between.     

肠外营养支持在新生儿食管闭锁术后的应用

目的 :探讨肠外营养 (PN)支持在新生儿食管闭锁术后治疗作用及与预后的关系。　方法 :PN组 12例病儿 ,平均胎龄 (39.9± 0 .7)周 ,平均出生体重 (32 11± 431) g,平均禁食时间 (8.3± 2 .8)天 ,术后 1～ 3天开始 ,平均每天给予脂肪乳剂 (1.8± 0 .6 ) g/ kg,氨基酸 (2 .1± 0 .7) g/ kg,葡萄糖 (7.8± 2 .1) g/ kg,平均热量摄入为 (2 38.5±46 ) k J/ kg,热氮比 15 0～ 2 5 0∶ 1,液量 (12 0± 12 ) ml/ kg,PN平均应用时间为 7.6天 ,以“全合一”方式经周围静脉大于 16 h均匀输入。对照组 7例病儿 ,平均胎龄 (39.4± 1.4)周 ,平均出生体重 (2 911± 2 0 4) g,平均禁食时间 (7.0±4.5 )天 ,平均热量摄入 (171.5± 37.6 ) k J/ kg。　结果 :PN组治愈 11例 ,死亡 1例 ,病死率为 8.3% ;存活儿体重增加 5例 ,不变 5例 ,下降 1例 ,平均每天体重增加 (11± 2 7) g。对照组治愈 3例 ,死亡 4例 ,病死率为 5 7.1% ;存活儿体重均下降 ,平均每天体重降低 (2 2± 2 1) g。两组病死率及体重变化经 Student s test及卡方检验统计存在显著差异 (P<0 .0 5 )。　结论 :围手术期积极而合理地应用肠外营养支持可改善食管闭锁术后病儿的营养不良 ,降低病死率 ,改善预后     

Parenteral nutrition with n-3 lipids in sepsis

Dietary supplements of n-3 fatty acids have long been used to influence chronic inflammatory disorders. Recent studies with an immune-enhancing diet partly based on n-3 fatty acids report beneficial effects in patients with acute hyper-inflammatory diseases, such as the sepsis syndrome or adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). The possible suppression of exaggerated leucocyte activity, the improvement of microcirculatory events, as well as the opportunity to administer intravenous lipids enriched in n-3 fatty acids signal the possibility of a combination of parenteral caloric support and pharmacological intervention. Using parenteral administration of fish oil-based lipids, a new rapid and highly effective anti-inflammatory agent may allow the option to alter the immune status in hyper-inflammatory diseases such as sepsis and ARDS.