Drug-induced metabolic disorders and parenteral nutrition in the intensive care unit: a pharmaceutical and metabolic perspective

Establishing a stability window for medium- and long-chain-triglyceride lipid-based total nutrient admixtures using USP standards

PURPOSE

The stability window of medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) and long-chain-triglyceride (LCT) lipid-based total nutrient admixtures (TNAs) was studied.

METHODS

Sixteen different admixtures were selected for study. Of these, eight base macronutrient concentrations representing low and high concentrations were selected, along with low and high concentrations of electrolytes. All TNAs studied contained 2 mg of elemental iron as part of the trace-element formulation, an amount previously shown to produce unstable TNAs with pure LCT-based lipid injectable emulsions. All admixtures were prepared in triplicate and analyzed over five time intervals: time 1 (immediately after preparation), time 2 (after four days of storage at 6 +/- 2 degrees C), and times 3, 4, and 5, corresponding to 6, 24, and 30 hours of storage at 25 +/- 2 degrees C, respectively, after time 2. Stability was measured by comparing results with USP standards for fat globule size in lipid injectable emulsions.

RESULTS

A total of 48 admixtures were studied. Samples at each time interval showed an inconsistent but general increase in the number of globules with a diameter of >1.8 microm over time. All admixtures met both the proposed pharmacopoeial criteria for stability with respect to mean droplet size and volume-weighted proportion of fat globules with a diameter of >5 microm.

CONCLUSION

A wide range of macronutrients and micronutrients were tested in a series of MCT-LCT-based TNAs and found to be stable. The use of MCTs and LCTs in lipid injectable emulsions confers greater stability to TNAs than has been achieved with pure LCT-based formulations.

Nutritional support of critically ill patients

Severe depletion of body protein stores can result from prolonged starvation or from hormonal and cytokine-mediated effects during critical illness. Recent advances in the understanding of cytokine actions have substantially refined the interpretation of the nutritional assessment of critically ill patients. In addition, the design of nutritional programs for hospitalized patients has changed considerably during the past decade. Although nutritional support of critically ill patients will not lead to positive nitrogen balance, nutrition can increase protein synthesis, enhance immune function, and beneficially modify the body's response to an illness.

Total parenteral nutrition 1990. A review of its current status in hospitalised patients, and the need for patient-specific feeding

The decision to initiate total parenteral nutrition (TPN) in hospitalised patients should be based on the presence of clinically significant starvation and dysfunction of the gastrointestinal tract. It must also take into account the clinical status of the patient, considering major treatment strategies and the need for prolonged hospitalisation, the benefits of feeding and the attendant risks of central venous alimentation. Recent evidence in surgical patients in intensive care provides the impetus for early parenteral feeding; withholding TPN and inducing a cumulative caloric deficit of greater than or equal to 10,000 calories has been associated with a survival disadvantage compared to those patients with a positive caloric balance. Moreover, the incidence of serious organ failure was consistently higher in the group with cumulative caloric deficits. Additional evidence favouring the provision of TPN exists, but the axiom 'if the gut works, use it' still prevails. Exceptions to this precept do exist, however, particularly in critically ill patients. The metabolic derangements encountered in these patients could be so severe that it may be impossible to correct the electrolyte and acid-base abnormalities via the enteral route. For example, such patients may have large potassium requirements and/or severe alkalaemia necessitating systemic acidification with hydrochloric acid, precluding enteral delivery due to gastrointestinal intolerance. In this setting, combined enteral feeding with 10 to 20 ml/h to maintain gut integrity (via a post-pyloric feeding tube) and TPN during the acute phases of illness is an exciting possibility. Once the decision to feed is made, the amount of nutrition prescribed may assume equal importance with respect to patient outcome. The frequent use of the Harris-Benedict equation, plus a multiplying factor for stress, may overestimate caloric requirements; this is particularly true during critical illness. The dangers of overfeeding may be just as harmful as not feeding at all. The use of indirect calorimetry provides the most accurate measurement of resting energy expenditure. However, in the absence of indirect calorimetry, modified equations to estimate caloric needs are available. Caution must be observed as caloric intakes exceeding the range of 25 to 35 kcal/kg may be dangerous, particularly in the severely ill patient with preexisting organ failure. The amount of protein and the 'calorie-mix' necessary for optimal nutritional support is open to debate. Recent evidence has demonstrated no additional benefit to nitrogen balance in severely septic patients when protein was given at a level exceeding 1.5 g/kg/day.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)