Nutritional Survey in Critically Ill Children and Their Impact on Anthropometric Indices and Outcome.

Abstract

Malnutrition has a high incidence among patients hospitalized to PICUs. It has a major impact on a child's outcome, including death, morbidity, and length of ICU stay.1, 2, 3 However various studies have found that the actual delivery of enteral nutrition is less as compared to what is needed due to lack of feeding protocols, delay in initiation and stopping enteral nutrition in case of a procedure or an untoward event.4 Covid 19 pandemic has increased both underweight and obesity. Henceforth, our study is conducted in critically ill pediatric patients to evaluate their nutritional needs and the transition of critically ill pediatric patients from partial or total parental nutrition to various forms of enteral nutrition. Along with the nutritional survey, the study also evaluates the change in anthropometric indices of pediatric patients after their PICU stay and co-relation with enteral nutrition. Finally the results were segregated to nd the outcome of these patients in our tertiary level Pediatric Intensive Care Unit based in teaching institute of Western Maharashtra. There is scarcity of literature in nutrition in pediatric critical care in India. This study aims to study the incidence of nutrition in pediatric intensive care units and measures to increase nutrition and their impact on outcome.