title: Nutrition support in acute pancreatitis.
abstract: The benefit of early enteral nutrition (EN) for the disease process and for patient outcome in severe acute pancreatitis is dramatic. A narrow window of opportunity exists during which there is potential for EN to decrease disease severity and reduce overall complications. Most patients with severe pancreatitis tolerate enteral feeds. Any signs of symptom exacerbation or increasing inflammation in response to EN may be ameliorated by subtle adjustments in the feeding strategy. In this manner, provision of EN represents primary therapy in the management of the patient with acute pancreatitis and is emerging as the gold standard of therapy in nutrition support for this disease process.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology/Hepatology, Department of Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 550 South Jackson Street, Louisville, KY 40202, USA. samcclave@louisville.edu
authors.forename: Stephen A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: McClave
mesh_terms: D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D006801:Humans; D018529:Nutritional Support / Q000379:methods; D019283:Pancreatitis, Acute Necrotizing / Q000628:therapy*; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D018746:Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome / Q000628:therapy; D013997:Time Factors