title: Tolerance to enteral nutrition therapy in traumatic brain injury patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the tolerance to enteral nutrition (EN) and the effects of pro-kinetic drugs in critical traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Transversal observational study. A total of 32 out of 45 TBI patients of both genders receiving EN were evaluated in a trauma referral hospital intensive care unit (ICU). Data from each patient were collected for a period of 10 consecutive days after initiation of enteral feeding: gastric residue, presence of vomiting, abdominal distension, Glasgow coma scale and the use of pro-kinetic agents.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In 20 of the 32 patients high levels of gastric residue were found. Of these 20 patients, half could not tolerate the diet within the first 72 hours following infusion. However, no association was found between disease severity and occurrence of gastrointestinal complications (p > 0.05). Feeding intolerance was observed in 75.0% (n = 24) of patients, even with the systematic use of metaclopramide from the outset of nutritional therapy. All patients with feeding intolerance who used erythromycin by nasogastric tube showed improvement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high level of gastric residue was the most common feeding intolerance and the delivery of erythromycin by nasogastric tube seems to control gastrointestinal disorders in TBI patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Sciences of Nutrition, School of Nutrition, Federal University of Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tatiana Fuchs
authors.initials: TF
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Raquel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Cristiane Assis
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Paula
authors.forename: Rosângela Passos
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: de Jesus
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000932:Antiemetics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004294:Domperidone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition / Q000009:adverse effects*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015154:Esophageal Motility Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D015600:Glasgow Coma Scale; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008787:Metoclopramide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014839:Vomiting / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000932:Antiemetics; D004294:Domperidone; D004917:Erythromycin; D008787:Metoclopramide