Muscle metabolism

Mapping peripheral and abdominal sarcopenia acquired in the acute phase of COVID-19 during 7 days of mechanical ventilation

Our aim was to map acquired peripheral and abdominal sarcopenia in mechanically ventilated adults with COVID-19 through ultrasound measurements. On Days 1, 3, 5 and 7 after admission to critical care, the muscle thickness and cross-sectional area of the quadriceps, rectus femoris, vastus intermedius, tibialis anterior, medial and lateral gastrocnemius, deltoid, biceps brachii, rectus abdominis, internal and external oblique, and transversus abdominis were measured using bedside ultrasound. A total of 5460 ultrasound images were analyzed from 30 patients (age: 59.8 ± 15.6 years; 70% men). Muscle thickness loss was found in the bilateral anterior tibial and medial gastrocnemius muscles (range 11.5-14.6%) between Days 1 and 3; in the bilateral quadriceps, rectus femoris, lateral gastrocnemius, deltoid, and biceps brachii (range 16.3-39.1%) between Days 1 and 5; in the internal oblique abdominal (25.9%) between Days 1 and 5; and in the rectus and transversus abdominis (29%) between Days 1 and 7. The cross-sectional area was reduced in the bilateral tibialis anterior and left biceps brachii (range 24.6-25.6%) between Days 1 and 5 and in the bilateral rectus femoris and right biceps brachii (range 22.9-27.7%) between Days 1 and 7. These findings indicate that the peripheral and abdominal muscle loss is progressive during the first week of mechanical ventilation and is significantly higher in the lower limbs, left quadriceps and right rectus femoris muscles in critically ill patients with COVID-19.

Nutrition in the ICU: new trends versus old-fashioned standard enteral feeding?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

The narrative review aims to summarize the relevant studies from the last 2 years and provide contextual information to understand findings.

RECENT FINDINGS

Recent ICU studies have provided insight in the pathophysiology and time course of catabolism, anabolic resistance, and metabolic and endocrine derangements interacting with the provision of calories and proteins.Early provision of high protein intake and caloric overfeeding may confer harm. Refeeding syndrome warrants caloric restriction and to identify patients at risk phosphate monitoring is mandatory.Infectious complications of parenteral nutrition are associated with overfeeding. In recent studies enteral nutrition is no longer superior over parenteral nutrition.Previously reported benefits of glutamine, selenium, and fish oil seem to have vanished in recent studies; however, studies on vitamin C, thiamine, and corticosteroid combinations show promising results.

SUMMARY

Studies from the last 2 years will have marked impact on future nutritional support strategies and practice guidelines for critical care nutrition as they challenge several old-fashioned concepts.