We retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of early enteral nutrition (within 48 h) and late enteral nutrition (after 48 h; control) in improving the nutritional status of surgical intensive care unit patients. This single-center, retrospective, observational study was conducted using data from 82 patients (age > 18 years) who were admitted to surgical intensive care units between June and November 2019. Patients who received enteral nutrition for >7 days were included in this study, and those who received total parenteral nutrition or palliative care were excluded. The early and late enteral nutrition groups comprised 41 patients each. Early enteral nutrition significantly increased the actual intake of calories and protein (p < 0.0001) as well as the length of stay in the surgical in-tensive care unit (p = 0.047) and hospital (p = 0.028). Late enteral nutrition significantly reduced albumin concentration (p < 0.05), hemoglobin concentration (p < 0.05), and lymphocyte count (p < 0.05) but significantly increased weight loss (p < 0.05). However, no significant between-group difference was observed in mortality rate. Early enteral nutrition improves the nutritional status of surgical intensive care unit patients. It shortens overall hospitalization duration and increases actual calorie and protein intake at dis-charge. Thus, early enteral nutrition is recommended for critically ill patients.
Chao et al. (Fri,) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: