Effect of combined parenteral and enteral nutrition for patients with a critical illness: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Parenteral Nutrition in the Critically Ill Adult: A Narrative Review

Malnutrition in adult intensive care unit patients is associated with poor clinical outcomes. Providing adequate nutritional support to the critically ill adult should be an important goal for the intensivist. This narrative review aims to delineate the role of parenteral nutrition (PN) in meeting nutritional goals. We examined the data regarding the safety and efficacy of PN compared to enteral nutrition. In addition, we describe practical considerations for the use of PN in the ICU including patient nutritional risk stratification, nutrient composition selection for PN, route of PN administration, and biochemical monitoring.

Clinical practice guidelines for nutritional assessment and monitoring of adult ICU patients in China

The Chinese Society of Critical Care Medicine (CSCCM) has developed clinical practice guidelines for nutrition assessment and monitoring for patients in adult intensive care units (ICUs) in China. This guideline focuses on nutrition evaluation and metabolic monitoring to achieve optimal and personalized nutrition therapy for critically ill patients. This guideline was developed by experts in critical care medicine and evidence-based medicine methodology and was developed after a thorough review of the system and a summary of relevant trials or studies published from 2000 to July 2023. A total of 18 recommendations were formed and consensus was reached through discussions and reviews by expert groups in critical care medicine, parenteral and enteral nutrition, and surgery. The recommendations are based on currently available evidence and cover several key fields, including screening and assessment, evaluation and assessment of enteral feeding intolerance, metabolic and nutritional measurement and monitoring during nutrition therapy, and organ function evaluation related to nutrition supply. Each question was analyzed according to the Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) principle. In addition, interpretations were provided for four questions that did not reach a consensus but may have potential clinical and research value. The plan is to update this nutrition assessment and monitoring guideline using the international guideline update method within 3-5 years.

A clinical study on gastric cancer patients administered EN and PN versus PN alone in enhanced recovery after surgery

Background and objectives

Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) recommends avoiding enteral nutrition (EN) due to undesirable sequelae such as pulmonary aspiration and infections. Not using of EN in nongastric resections under ERAS pathways is often successful. However, parenteral nutrition (PN) alone followed by early postoperative oral feeding in gastric cancer patients, recommended by the ERAS guidelines, has unclear benefit and is only adopted after gastric resection. This study aimed to compute the postoperative outcomes of EN and PN compared to those of the ERAS-recommended nutritional pathway. Our secondary objective was to compare postoperative complications between the two groups.

Materials and methods

Of 173 gastrectomy patients, 116 patients were in the combined group (EN and PN), whereas 57 patients were in the PN alone group. Statistical analysis was performed with the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0.0 software. The data were analyzed by one-way ANOVA, the independent sample t-test, or, in the case of several independent samples, by the Kruskal-Wallis test. Categorical data were analyzed by Pearson's χ2 test or Fisher's exact test.

Results

The observed indices included C-reactive protein (CRP), platelet (PLT), white blood cells (WBC), hemoglobin (Hb), albumin, and PRE-albumin. The secondary outcomes included length of hospital stay (LOS), cost, incidence of pulmonary infection, and total incidence of infection.

Conclusion

The combined mode of nutrition is feasible and is not associated with postoperative complications in gastric cancer patients under ERAS.

Nutritional Interventions on Physical Functioning for Critically Ill Patients: An Integrative Review

Background

Poor physical functioning (PF) is a common issue among critically ill patients. It was suggested that reasonable nutrition accelerates PF recovery. However, the details and types of nutritional interventions on the PF of different intensive care unit (ICU) patients at present have not been well analyzed yet. This study aimed to systematically synthesize nutritional interventions on PF in different ICU populations.

Methods

Whittemore and Knafl’s framework was employed. PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, CINAHL Plus with Full Text, and Cochrane Library were searched to obtain studies from January 2010 to September 2020, with a manual search of the included studies’ references. Record screening, data extraction, and quality appraisal were conducted independently by each reviewer before reaching an agreement after discussion.

Results

Twelve studies were included reporting the effects of early parenteral nutrition, early enteral nutrition, early goal-directed nutrition, early adequate nutrition, higher protein delivery, higher energy delivery, low energy delivery, energy and protein delivery, intermittent enteral feeding on PF like muscle mass, muscle strength, and function. Function was the most common outcome but showed little improvements. Muscle strength outcomes improved the most. The mechanically ventilated were the most popular target ICU population. The commenced time of the interventions is usually within 24 to 48 hours after ICU admission.

Conclusion

Research on nutritional interventions on critically ill patients’ PF is limited, but most are of a high level of evidence. Few intervention studies specified their evidence basis. Qualitative studies investigating timeframe of initiating feeding, perspectives of the patients’ perspectives and caregivers are warranted to advance research and further discuss this topic.

Combination of enteral and parenteral nutrition in the acute phase of critical illness: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Uncertainty remains about the best route and timing of medical nutrition therapy in the acute phase of critical illness. Early combined enteral nutrition (EN) and parenteral nutrition (PN) may represent an attractive option to achieve recommended energy and protein goals in select patient groups. This meta-analysis aims to update and summarize the current evidence.

METHODS

This systematic review and meta-analysis includes randomized controlled trials (RCTs) targeting the effect of EN alone vs a combination of EN with PN in the acute phase of critical illness in adult patients. Assessed outcomes include mortality, intensive care unit (ICU) and hospital length of stay (LOS), ventilation days, infectious complications, physical recovery, and quality-of-life outcomes.

RESULTS

Twelve RCTs with 5543 patients were included. Treatment with a combination of EN with PN led to increased delivery of macronutrients. No statistically significant effect of a combination of EN with PN vs EN alone on any of the parameters was observed: mortality (risk ratio = 1.0; 95% CI, 0.79-1.28; P = .99), hospital LOS (mean difference, -1.44; CI, -5.59 to 2.71; P = .50), ICU LOS, and ventilation days. Trends toward improved physical outcomes were observed in two of four trials.

CONCLUSION

A combination of EN with PN improved nutrition intake in the acute phase of critical illness in adults and was not inferior regarding the patients' outcomes. Large, adequately designed trials in select patient groups are needed to answer the question of whether this nutrition strategy has a clinically relevant treatment effect.