title: Enteral nutrition in intensive care patients: a practical approach.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Division der Soins Intensifs de Médecine, Hôpital Cantonal Universitaire, Geneva, 1211 Geneva 14, Switzerland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Jolliet
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pichard
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Biolo
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chioléro
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Grimble
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Leverve
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Nitenberg
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Novak
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Planas
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Preiser
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Schols
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wernerman
mesh_terms: D000075202:Contraindications; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000628:therapy*