title: Obesity and nutrition in acute respiratory distress syndrome.
abstract: This article discusses obesity, its contribution to clinical outcomes, and the current literature on nutrition. More than one third of Americans are obese. Literature suggests that, among critically ill patients, the relationship between obesity and outcomes is complex. Obese patients may be at greater risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) than normal weight patients. Although obesity may confer greater morbidity in intensive care, it seems to decrease mortality. ARDS is a catabolic state; patients demonstrate a profound inflammatory response, multiple organ dysfunction, and hypermetabolism, often with malnutrition. The concept of pharmaconutrition has emerged.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Vermont, 149 Beaumont Avenue, Burlington, VT 05405, USA. Electronic address: renee.stapleton@uvm.edu.
authors.forename: Renee D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Stapleton
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Vermont, 149 Beaumont Avenue, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
authors.forename: Benjamin T
authors.initials: BT
authors.lastname: Suratt
mesh_terms: D015897:Comorbidity; D003422:Critical Care; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications*; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D012307:Risk Factors
keywords: ARDS; Acute lung injury; Enteral nutrition; Nutrition; Obesity; Parenteral nutrition