Nutrition Support During Prone Positioning: An Old Technique Reawakened by COVID-19

Current Practice Review in the Management of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) presents as an acute inflammatory lung injury characterized by refractory hypoxemia and non-cardiac pulmonary edema. An estimated 10% of patients in the intensive care unit and 25% of those who are mechanically ventilated are diagnosed with ARDS. Increased awareness is warranted as mortality rates remain high and delays in diagnosing ARDS are common. The COVID-19 pandemic highlights the importance of understanding ARDS management. Treatment of ARDS can be challenging due to the complexity of the disease state and conflicting existing evidence. Therefore, it is imperative that pharmacists understand both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment strategies to optimize patient care. This narrative review provides a critical evaluation of current literature describing management practices for ARDS. A review of treatment modalities and supportive care strategies will be presented.

Incidence of pressure ulcers due to prone position in patients admitted to the ICU for Covid-19

The appearance of pressure ulcers (PU) is one of the frequent complications of prone position (PP), due to prolonged pressure and shear forces.

OBJECTIVES

To compare the incidence of pressure ulcers secondary to prone position and describe their location among four Intensive Care Units (ICU) of public hospitals.

METHODS

Multicenter descriptive and retrospective observational study. The population consisted of patients admitted to the ICU between February 2020 and May 2021, diagnosed with Covid-19 who required prone decubitus. The variables studied were sociodemographic, days of admission to the ICU, total hours on PP, PU prevention, location, stage, frequency of postural changes, nutrition and protein intake. Data collection was carried out through the clinical history of the different computerized databases of each hospital. Descriptive analysis and association between variables were performed using SPSS vs.20.0.

RESULTS

A total of 574 patients were admitted for Covid-19, 43.03% were pronated. 69.6% were men, median age was 66 (IQR 55-74) and BMI 30.7 (RIC 27-34.2). Median ICU stay was 28 days (IQR 17-44.2), median hours on PD per patient 48 h (IQR 24-96). The incidence of PU occurrence was 56.3%, 76.2% of patients presented a PU, the most frequent location was the forehead (74.9%). There were significant differences between hospitals in terms of PU incidence (P = .002), location (P = .000) and median duration of hours per PD episode (P = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

The incidence of pressure ulcers due to the prone position was very high. There is great variability in the incidence of pressure ulcers between hospitals, location and average duration of hours per episode of prone position.

Innovative strategy to improve enteral nutrition in prone positioning with patients with COVID-19

BACKGROUND

Enteral nutrition is essential to improve outcomes in patients who are critically ill. Patients in the prone position, including those diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) present additional challenges for enteral nutrition initiation.

METHODS

A novel technique for placing feeding tubes while in the prone position was developed using an electromagnetic placement device and specialty trained clinical nurse specialists. Data were assessed retrospectively to determine effectiveness of this new practice.

RESULTS

Sixty-eight patients had feeding tubes placed while in the prone position; 75% were able to be placed through the postpyloric route, 22% were placed through the gastric route, and 3% unable to be placed. Use of this technique facilitated earlier initiation of feedings by 2 days from time of admission and almost half a day from intubation to feeding. There was no additional radiation exposure from using this technique.

CONCLUSION

Ability to place feeding tubes early while patients were prone reduced delays for starting enteral nutrition. Patients with COVID-19 in the prone position were able to receive effective nutrition support earlier with no additional complications.

[Incidence of pressure ulcers due to prone position in patients admitted to the ICU for Covid-19]

The appearance of pressure ulcers (PU) is one of the frequent complications of prone position (PP), due to prolonged pressure and shear forces.

Objectives

To compare the incidence of pressure ulcers secondary to prone position and describe their location among four Intensive Care Units (ICU) of public hospitals.

Methods

Multicenter descriptive and retrospective observational study. The population consisted of patients admitted to the ICU between February 2020 and May 2021, diagnosed with Covid-19 who required prone decubitus. The variables studied were sociodemographic, days of admission to the ICU, total hours on PP, PU prevention, location, stage, frequency of postural changes, nutrition and protein intake. Data collection was carried out through the clinical history of the different computerized databases of each hospital. Descriptive analysis and association between variables were performed using SPSS vs.20.0.

Results

A total of 574 patients were admitted for Covid-19, 43.03% were pronated. 69.6% were men, median age was 66 (IQR 55-74) and BMI 30.7 (RIC 27-34.2). Median ICU stay was 28 days (IQR 17-44.2), median hours on PD per patient 48 h (IQR 24-96). The incidence of PU occurrence was 56.3%, 76.2% of patients presented a PU, the most frequent location was the forehead (74.9%). There were significant differences between hospitals in terms of PU incidence (p = 0.002), location (p < 0.001) and median duration of hours per PD episode (p = 0.001).

Conclusions

The incidence of pressure ulcers due to the prone position was very high. There is great variability in the incidence of pressure ulcers between hospitals, location and average duration of hours per episode of prone position.

Feeding intolerance during prolonged prone position in overweight and obese patients with severe COVID-19

OBJECTIVE

the aim of this study was to compare the incidence rate of feeding intolerance (FI) during supine (SP) or prone positioning (PP) in critically ill COVID-19 patients.

METHODS

this was a retrospective cohort study of critically ill patients with overweight or obesity who received enteral nutrition (EN) in prone or supine positioning continuously during the first five days of mechanical ventilation. Nutritional risk, anthropometric measurements and body composition were assessed at the first 24 hours upon Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admission. Biochemical and clinical variables (Sequential Organ Failure Assessment [SOFA], Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II [APACHE II], Acute Kidney Injury [AKI] or comorbidities diagnosis) were collected. Pharmacotherapy (prokinetics, sedatives or neuromuscular blocking agents) and FI incidence (gastric residual volume [GRV] ≥ 200 ml or ≥ 500 ml, vomiting or diarrhea) were daily recorded. Constipation was defined as the absence of evacuation for five consecutive days.

RESULTS

eighty-two patients were included. Higher rate of prophylactic prokinetic prescription was observed in PP (42.8 vs 12.5 %, p = 0.002). GRV ≥ 200 in supine position was not different when compared to PP (p = 0.47). Vomiting episodes in supine compared to PP showed no difference between groups (15 % vs 24 %, p = 0.31). No differences in diarrhea events were detected (10 % vs 4.7 %, p = 0.36). Constipation was common in both groups (95 % vs 82 %, p = 0.06).

CONCLUSION

FI during prone position was not different in comparison to supine position. Routinely use of prokinetics in continuous prone position may help to prevent FI incidence. Algorithm development is necessary for FI prevention and treatment so to avoid EN interruptions and adverse clinical outcomes.

Signals for Muscular Protein Turnover and Insulin Resistance in Critically Ill Patients: A Narrative Review

Sarcopenia in critically ill patients is a highly prevalent comorbidity. It is associated with a higher mortality rate, length of mechanical ventilation, and probability of being sent to a nursing home after the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Despite the number of calories and proteins delivered, there is a complex network of signals of hormones and cytokines that affect muscle metabolism and its protein synthesis and breakdown in critically ill and chronic patients. To date, it is known that a higher number of proteins decreases mortality, but the exact amount needs to be clarified. This complex network of signals affects protein synthesis and breakdown. Some hormones regulate metabolism, such as insulin, insulin growth factor glucocorticoids, and growth hormone, whose secretion is affected by feeding states and inflammation. In addition, cytokines are involved, such as TNF-alpha and HIF-1. These hormones and cytokines have common pathways that activate muscle breakdown effectors, such as the ubiquitin-proteasome system, calpain, and caspase-3. These effectors are responsible for protein breakdown in muscles. Many trials have been conducted with hormones with different results but not with nutritional outcomes. This review examines the effect of hormones and cytokines on muscles. Knowing all the signals and pathways that affect protein synthesis and breakdown can be considered for future therapeutics.

Prone position, time to reach nutrition target, and energy/protein achievement rate on the seventh day of intensive care unit stay in patients with COVID-19: A cohort study

BACKGROUND

We aimed to evaluate the mean time to reach the energy (EAR) and protein (PAR) achievement rate among patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who did or did not undergo prone position (PP) therapy in the first week of their stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), and the interaction of these nutrition therapy indicators on the association between PP and clinical outcomes.

METHODS

This cohort study used retrospective data collected from medical records of patients with COVID-19 admitted to the ICU (≥18 years). We collected nutrition data, clinical information, prescription of PP, and its frequency during the first week, and clinical outcomes.

RESULTS

PP therapy was administered to 75.2% of 153 patients (61.5 ± 14.8 years, 57.6% males) during the first week of their ICU stay. Patients who underwent PP reached nutrition therapy goals later (4 [3-6] vs 3 [2-4] days; P = 0.030) and had lower EAR (91.9 ± 25.7 vs 101.6 ± 84.0; P = 0.002) and PAR (88.0 ± 27.7 vs 98.1 ± 13.5; P = 0.009) in comparison to those who did not receive PP. Grouping patients who underwent PP according to the EAR (≥70% or <70%) did not show any differences in the incidence of ICU death, duration of mechanical ventilation, or ICU stay (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In this exploratory study, PP was associated with a delayed time to reach the nutrition target and the lowest EAR and estimated protein requirement on the seventh day of ICU stay in patients with COVID-19. Permissive enteral nutrition prescription in patients who underwent PP was not associated with worse clinical outcomes.

COVID, the Gut, and Nutritional Implications

Purpose of Review

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the current literature, recommendations, and practice guidelines on the nutritional management of and implications associated with COVID-19 infection.

Recent Findings

Particular attention should be paid to the screening, prevention, and treatment of malnutrition in critically ill individuals with COVID-19 infection given the significant risk for complications and poor outcomes. Extrapolation of existing literature for the nutritional support in the critically ill patient has demonstrated early enteral nutrition is safe and well-tolerated in patients with severe COVID-19 infection.

Summary

Futures studies should focus on the long-term nutritional outcomes for patients who have suffered COVID-19 infection, nutritional outcomes/recommendations for special populations with COVID-19, nutritional outcomes based on the current recommendations and guidelines for nutrition therapy, and the role for micronutrient supplementation in COVID-19 infection.

Enteral Nutrition Overview

Enteral nutrition (EN) provides critical macro and micronutrients to individuals who cannot maintain sufficient oral intake to meet their nutritional needs. EN is most commonly required for neurological conditions that impair swallow function, such as stroke, amytrophic lateral sclerosis, and Parkinson’s disease. An inability to swallow due to mechanical ventilation and altered mental status are also common conditions that necessitate the use of EN. EN can be short or long term and delivered gastrically or post-pylorically. The expected duration and site of feeding determine the type of feeding tube used. Many commercial EN formulas are available. In addition to standard formulations, disease specific, peptide-based, and blenderized formulas are also available. Several other factors should be considered when providing EN, including timing and rate of initiation, advancement regimen, feeding modality, and risk of complications. Careful and comprehensive assessment of the patient will help to ensure that nutritionally complete and clinically appropriate EN is delivered safely.

Nutritional therapy for hospitalized patients with COVID-19: A narrative and integrative review

Hospitalized patients affected by coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) have a sustained pro-inflammatory state and recurrent gastrointestinal symptoms that correlate with a decline in the nutritional status, which is directly related to poor immune response and clinical evolution. Nutritional therapy has proven crucial in COVID-19 treatment through the provision of adequate amounts of nutrients. Since the beginning of the pandemic, medical societies have mobilized to provide practical nutritional guidelines to support decision-making; despite this, there are only a few studies dedicated to compiling the most relevant recommendations. In this narrative review, we aimed to summarize and stratify the current scientific literature on nutritional support for hospitalized COVID-19 patients. We carried out a literature review from three databases between January 2020 and July 2021, using nutrition therapy (or medical nutrition or enteral nutrition or parental nutrition or nutritional support) and COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2 infection) as the search terms. Only those studies that evaluated adult hospitalized patients with admissions to wards, specific clinics, or intensive care units were included. The nutritional intervention considered was that of specific nutritional support via oral, enteral, or parenteral modes. A total of 37 articles were included. In general, the nutritional care provided to COVID-19 patients follows the same premises as for other patients, i.e., it opts for the most physiological route and meets nutritional demands based on the clinical condition. However, some protocols that minimize the risk of contamination exposure for the health team have to be considered. Energy requirements varied from 15 kcal/kg/day to 30 kcal/kg/day and protein goals from 1.2 g/kg/day to 2 g/kg/day. In both cases, the ramp protocol for increased supply should be considered. In cases of enteral therapy, ready-to-use diet and continuous mode are recommended. Attention to refeeding syndrome is essential when parenteral nutrition is used.

Dietetic-Led Nutrition Interventions in Patients with COVID-19 during Intensive Care and Ward-Based Rehabilitation: A Single-Center Observational Study

Background: In this study, a report of dietitian-led nutrition interventions for patients with COVID-19 during ICU and ward-based rehabilitation is provided. As knowledge of COVID-19 and its medical treatments evolved through the course of the pandemic, dietetic-led interventions were compared between surge 1 (S1) and surge 2 (S2). Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted of patients admitted to the ICU service in a large academic hospital (London, UK). Clinical and nutrition data were collected during the first surge (March–June 2020; n = 200) and the second surge (November 2020–March 2021; n = 253) of COVID-19. Results: A total of 453 patients were recruited. All required individualized dietetic-led interventions during ICU admission as the ICU nutrition protocol did not meet nutritional needs. Feed adjustments for deranged renal function (p = 0.001) and propofol calories (p = 0.001) were more common in S1, whereas adjustment for gastrointestinal dysfunction was more common in S2 (p = 0.001). One-third of all patients were malnourished on ICU admission, and all lost weight in ICU, with a mean (SD) total percentage loss of 8.8% (6.9%). Further weight loss was prevented over the remaining hospital stay with continued dietetic-led interventions. Conclusions: COVID-19 patients have complex nutritional needs due to malnutrition on admission and ongoing weight loss. Disease complexity and evolving nature of medical management required multifaceted dietetic-led nutritional strategies, which differed between surges.

Enteral nutritional support for patients hospitalized with COVID-19: Results from the first wave in a public hospital

Objectives

Nutrition has become an important component in treating individuals during the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which is increasingly affecting the world population and causing a collapse in health services. Prolonged hospitalization, including immobilization and catabolism, induces a decrease in body weight and muscle mass that may result in sarcopenia, a condition that impairs respiratory and cardiac function and worsens the prognosis. The present study aimed to analyze enteral nutritional support and the clinical evolution of patients admitted with COVID-19 in Brazil.

Methods

This was a retrospective study, conducted from March to May 2020, of patients admitted to a referral hospital in cardiology and pulmonology in Fortaleza-Ce/Brazil. Two hundred patients infected with COVID-19 were selected for the study. Sociodemographic, clinical, and nutritional data were collected from electronic medical records, and associations between outcomes and the use of the prone body position with nutritional variables were analyzed by linear regression. Odds ratio and 95% confidence interval estimates for the death outcome were analyzed by logistic regression.

Results

Of the 112 patients who were fed by enterally, the majority were male (n = 61; 54.5%), elderly (n = 88; 78.6%), and with no current smoking habit (n = 81; 72.3%). The median hospital stay was 14 d, mostly in intensive care units (median: 9 d). Prone body positioning impacted the nutritional therapy. In general, patients who maintained a prone body position tested lower for kcal/kg of body weight, protein/kg of body weight, percentage of diet adequacy, and total caloric value. In addition, patients who died had a lower mean maximum kcal/kg body weight, protein/kg body weight, percentage of diet adequacy, and total caloric value compared with surviving patients.

Conclusions

An association between inadequacies in protein and energy supply with mortality was confirmed, suggesting that nutritional support optimization should be prescribed in such situations.

Energy Achievement Rate Is an Independent Factor Associated with Intensive Care Unit Mortality in High-Nutritional-Risk Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Requiring Prolonged Prone Positioning Therapy

Early enteral nutrition (EN) and a nutrition target >60% are recommended for patients in the intensive care unit (ICU), even for those with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Prolonged prone positioning (PP) therapy (>48 h) is the rescue therapy of ARDS, but it may worsen the feeding status because it requires the heavy sedation and total paralysis of patients. Our previous studies demonstrated that energy achievement rate (EAR) >65% was a good prognostic factor in ICU. However, its impact on the mortality of patients with ARDS requiring prolonged PP therapy remains unclear. We retrospectively analyzed 79 patients with high nutritional risk (modified nutrition risk in the critically ill; mNUTRIC score ≥5); and identified factors associated with ICU mortality by using a Cox regression model. Through univariate analysis, mNUTRIC score, comorbid with malignancy, actual energy intake, and EAR (%) were associated with ICU mortality. By multivariate analysis, EAR (%) was a strong predictive factor of ICU mortality (HR: 0.19, 95% CI: 0.07-0.56). EAR >65% was associated with lower 14-day, 28-day, and ICU mortality after adjustment for confounding factors. We suggest early EN and increase EAR >65% may benefit patients with ARDS who required prolonged PP therapy.

Barriers to nutrition therapy in the critically ill patient with COVID-19

Background

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) has created challenges for intensivists, as high ventilatory demands and prolonged hypermetabolism make it difficult to sustain nutrition status. The purpose of this survey was to determine current practices in nutrition therapy and identify barriers to its delivery.

Methods

A survey about delivering nutrition therapy to critically ill patients with COVID‐19 was sent to clinicians at academic and community hospitals from September to December 2020.

Results

Of 440 who viewed the survey, 199 (45%) completed the questionnaire. Respondents were composed of 30%, physicians and 70% registered dietitians, with 51% representing community programs, 43% academic institutions, and 6% Veterans Affairs centers. Half (49%) had protocols for managing critically ill patients with COVID‐19, and 21% had a protocol for nutrition therapy. Although most respondents (83%) attempted to feed by the intragastric route, only 9% indicated that energy/protein needs were met. The biggest barriers to delivery of enteral nutrition (EN) involved the patients unpredictable clinical course and fear of aspiration given the lack of respiratory reserve. Intensivists were reluctant to add supplemental parenteral nutrition (PN) because of perceived lack of benefit.

Conclusion

The survey results would suggest that strategies for nutrition therapy based on the intragastric infusion of EN are unsuccessful in meeting the energy/protein needs of critically ill patients with COVID‐19. It is likely these barriers exist in providing nutrition to non‐Covid‐19 critically ill patients. Intensivists need protocols that optimally deliver intragastric EN, consider early postpyloric infusion, and address adding supplemental PN in a deteriorating nutrition status.

Nutritional and metabolic management of COVID-19 intensive care patients

Nutritional and metabolic disturbances are observed in patients critically ill with Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) patients. The aim of this review is to describe these disturbances during the progression of the disease, from the pre-intubation phase through the ventilated condition to the post extubation phase. The analysis of new data describing the prevalence of malnutrition, the modifications in energy expenditure and body composition are guiding medical nutritional therapy to prevent patients from experiencing severe energy deficit and muscle loss. Rehabilitation may be extremely prolonged and therefore, nutrition is mandatory to decrease this recondition period. This review also comments on the European Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN) nutritional statements.

Nutrition risk prevalence and nutrition care recommendations for hospitalized and critically-ill patients with COVID-19

Nutritional status is an often-overlooked component in infectious disease severity. Hospitalized or critically ill patients are at higher risk of malnutrition, and rapid assessment and treatment of poor nutritional status can impact clinical outcomes. As it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic, an estimated 5% of these patients require admission to an ICU. Per clinical practice guidelines, nutrition therapy should be a core component of treatment regimens. On account of the urgent need for information relating to the nutritional support of these patients, clinical practice guidance was published based on current critical care guidelines. However, a growing body of literature is now available that may provide further direction for the nutritional status and support in COVID-19 patients. This review, intended for the health care community, provides a heretofore lacking in-depth discussion and summary of the current data on nutrition risk and assessment and clinical practice guidelines for medical nutrition therapy for hospitalized and critically ill patients with COVID-19.

How Differences in the Disease Process of the COVID-19 Pandemic Pose Challenges to the Delivery of Critical Care Nutrition

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The COVID-19 pandemic is a unique disease process that has caused unprecedented challenges for intensive care specialists. The hyperinflammatory hypermetabolic nature of the disease and the complexity of its management create barriers to the delivery of nutritional therapy. This review identifies the key differences which characterize this pandemic from other disease processes in critical illness and discusses alternative strategies to enhance success of nutritional support.

RECENT FINDINGS

Prolonged hyperinflammation, unlike any previously described pattern of response to injury, causes metabolic perturbations and deterioration of nutritional status. High ventilatory demands, hypercoagulation with the risk of bowel ischemia, and threat of aspiration in patients with little or no pulmonary reserve, thwart initial efforts to provide early enteral nutrition (EN). The obesity paradox is invalidated, tolerance of EN is limited, intensivists are reluctant to add supplemental parenteral nutrition (PN), and efforts to give sufficient nutritional therapy remain a low priority. The nature of the disease and difficulties providing traditional critical care nutrition lead to dramatic deterioration of nutritional status. Institutions should not rely on insufficient gastric feeding alone but focus instead on redoubling efforts to provide postpyloric deep duodenal/jejunal EN or re-examine the role of supplemental PN in this population of patients with such severe critical illness.