Enteral nutrition: just a fuel or an immunity enhancer?
Based on a review of randomized, controlled clinical trials, enteral feeding improves septic morbidity in critically ill and/or malnourished patients. Enteral feeding may be better than parenteral feeding, but a definitive study is not available. Immune-enhancing diets further improve septic morbidity in critically ill and/or malnourished patients. Active components identified include arginine, glutamine, and omega-3 fats, but the relative efficacy of any single immune enhancing component versus their combination is impossible to state based on the presently available evidence.
Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
B R
BR
Bistrian
D016638:Critical Illness; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic