Objective
To correlate short-term (duration of mechanical ventilation and length of
intensive care unit stay) and long-term (functional capacity) clinical
outcomes of patients who reached nutritional adequacy ≥ 70% of
predicted in the first 72 hours of hospitalization in the intensive care
unit.
Methods
This was a prospective observational pilot study conducted in an 18-bed
intensive care unit. A total of 100 mechanically ventilated patients
receiving exclusive enteral nutritional support and receiving intensive care
for more than 72 hours were included. Patients who never received enteral
nutrition, those with spinal cord trauma, pregnant women, organ donors and
cases of family refusal were excluded. The variables studied were
nutritional adequacy ≥ 70% of predicted in the first 72 hours of
hospitalization, length of intensive care unit stay, duration of mechanical
ventilation and the ability to perform activities of daily living after 12
months, assessed via telephone contact using the Lawton Activities of Daily
Living Scale.
Results
The mean duration of mechanical ventilation was 18 ± 9 days, and the
mean intensive care unit length of stay was 19 ± 8 days. Only 45% of
the patients received more than 70% of the target nutrition in 72 hours.
There was no association between nutritional adequacy and short-term
(duration of mechanical ventilation, length of stay in the intensive care
unit and mortality) or long-term (functional capacity and mortality)
clinical outcomes.
Conclusion
Critically ill patients receiving caloric intake ≥ 70% in the first 72
hours of hospitalization did not present better outcomes in the short term
or after 1 year.
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