Assessment of resting energy expenditure in mechanically ventilated patients.
BACKGROUND
Usual equations for predicting resting energy expenditure (REE) are not appropriate for critically ill patients, and indirect calorimetry criteria render its routine use difficult.


OBJECTIVE
Variables that might influence the REE of mechanically ventilated patients were evaluated to establish a predictive relation between these variables and REE.


METHODS
The REE of 70 metabolically stable, mechanically ventilated patients was prospectively measured by indirect calorimetry and calculated with the use of standard predictive models (Harris and Benedict's equations corrected for hypermetabolism factors). Patient data that might influence REE were assessed, and multivariate analysis was conducted to determine the relations between measured REE and these data. Measured and calculated REE were compared by using the Bland-Altman method.


RESULTS
Multivariate analysis retained 4 independent variables defining REE: body weight (r(2) = 0.14, P < 0.0001), height (r(2) = 0.11, P = 0.0002), minute ventilation (r(2) = 0.04, P = 0.01), and body temperature (r(2) = 0.07, P = 0.002): REE (kcal/d) = 8 x body weight + 14 x height + 32 x minute ventilation + 94 x body temperature - 4834. REE calculated with this equation was well correlated with measured REE (r(2) = 0.61, P < 0.0001). Bland-Altman plots showed a mean bias approaching zero, and the limits of agreement between measured and predicted REE were clinically acceptable.


CONCLUSIONS
Our results suggest that REE estimated on the basis of body weight, height, minute ventilation, and body temperature is clinically more relevant than are the usual predictive equations for metabolically stable, mechanically ventilated patients.
Faisy
Christophe
C
Service de Réanimation Médicale, Hôpital Européen Georges Pompidou, Paris, France. christophe.faisy@wanadoo.fr
Guerot
Emmanuel
E
Diehl
Jean-Luc
JL
Labrousse
Jacques
J
Fagon
Jean-Yves
JY
D001481:Basal Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018529:Nutritional Support; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000628:therapy*