iObjective:/i Although international guidelines outline best practices for assessing and delivering nutrition to critically ill patients, their implementation varies considerably across Intensive Care Units (ICUs). This study aimed to evaluate current nutritional practices among intensivists, identify challenges in meeting nutritional goals in the ICU, and describe strategies used for post-ICU nutritional care.i Methods/i: An online survey was disseminated to certified intensivists, who were invited to complete a structured questionnaire electronically. Institutional ethics approval (INT/ECI2023/P2/1344) and clinical trial registration (CTRI/2024/01/061457) were obtained. Results: Of 201 respondents, 53% had more than 10 years of clinical experience, and 33% performed in-hospital ICU duties. Most institutions provided patient nutrition 79% reported awareness of established nutritional protocols, yet 69% cited the unavailability of qualified ICU dietitians. Only 6% used indirect calorimetry for caloric assessment. Enteral nutrition was initiated in 95% of patients, predominantly via intermittent bolus feeding (70%), and 80% commenced feeding soon after ICU admission when feasible. Feed intolerance was assessed in 87% of cases using gastric residual volumes, with a threshold of greater than 50% of the previous feed being the common criterion. Nearly 60% initiated parenteral nutrition within 48–72 hours of developing enteral feed intolerance. Protein or albumin levels were used by 69% to assess nutritional status. Only 7% reported structured post-ICU nutritional follow-up. Conclusions: Substantial variability exists in ICU nutritional practices, with limited adherence to international recommendations and significant resource-related barriers.
Hazarika et al. (Tue,) studied this question.