title: Nutritional support in critical care.
abstract: Despite the key role of nutrition in health and the almost universal use of supplemental feeding in the ICU, there is a lack of high-quality evidence to guide clinical practice. Enteral nutrition is superior to TPN in almost all circumstances and most patients in the ICU can be fed successfully by this route. There is little evidence to support the use of special feeds and the role of immunonutrients remains unproven. Nutritional support cannot completely prevent the adverse effects of catabolic illness and overfeeding should be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 4LP, UK.
authors.forename: Simon V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Baudouin
authors.forename: Timothy W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Evans
mesh_terms: D001481:Basal Metabolism; D003422:Critical Care; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005746:Gastric Emptying; D005973:Glutamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D018529:Nutritional Support; D010289:Parenteral Nutrition, Total; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology; D012121:Respiration, Artificial
chemical_list: D005973:Glutamine