Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy Tube Placement in COVID-19 Patients

Synchronous tracheostomy and gastrostomy placement results in shorter length of stay in traumatic brain injury patients

BACKGROUND

American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) guidelines recommend gastrostomy for patients suspected to require enteral access device for 4-6 weeks. Our hypothesis was that traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients undergoing synchronous tracheostomy/gastrostomy (SYNC) compared to tracheostomy first (DELAY) have shorter length of stay (LOS) but higher rates of unnecessary gastrostomy.

METHODS

Retrospective review of TBI patients requiring tracheostomy in 2017-2022 ​at a Level 1 trauma center was conducted. SYNC and DELAY patients were compared, and CoxPH analysis was performed for LOS.

RESULTS

394 patients were included [mean age: 42 (SD:18); mortality: 9 ​%]. The DELAY group had longer LOS (39 vs 32 days, p ​< ​0.001). There was no significant difference in unnecessary gastrostomy rate between groups (p ​= ​0.1331). In adjusted hazard analysis, SYNC predicted shorter LOS (HR:1.54; 95 ​% CI:1.20-1.98, p ​< ​0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Synchronous gastrostomy was associated with shorter length of stay and similar rates of unnecessary gastrostomy in TBI patients.

Malnutrition management of hospitalized patients with diabetes/hyperglycemia and COVID-19 infection

Diabetes mellitus and/or hyperglycemia are highly prevalent medical conditions in patients hospitalized for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and are associated with adverse outcomes. In addition, COVID-19 itself can provoke fluctuating and high glucose levels that can be difficult to manage upon hospitalization. Hospitalized patients with COVID-19 are at high risk of malnutrition due to an increase in nutritional requirements and a severe acute inflammatory response. The management of patients with diabetes/hyperglycemia and COVID-19 is challenging and requires a specific nutritional approach, the purpose of which is to fulfill the nutritional requirements while maintaining an optimal glycemic control. In this study, an expert group of nutritional endocrinologists carried out a qualitative literature review and provided recommendations based on evidence and guidelines, when available, or on their own experience. The optimal care based on these recommendations was compared with the routine bedside care as reported by a panel of physicians (mainly, endocrinologists, geriatricians, and internists) treating patients with diabetes/hyperglycemia and COVID-19 in their daily practice. Early screening and diagnosis, a diabetes-specific therapeutic approach, and a close malnutrition monitoring are essential to improve the clinical outcomes of these patients. In conclusion, the proposed recommendations are intended to provide a useful guide on the clinical management of malnutrition in patients with COVID-19 and diabetes/hyperglycemia, in order to improve their outcomes and accelerate their recovery. The comparison of the recommended optimal care with routine clinical practice could aid to identify gaps in knowledge, implementation difficulties, and areas for improvement in the management of malnutrition in this population.

The Effects of Enteral Nutrition in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Patients who are critically ill with COVID-19 could have impaired nutrient absorption due to disruption of the normal intestinal mucosa. They are often in a state of high inflammation, increased stress and catabolism as well as a significant increase in energy and protein requirements. Therefore, timely enteral nutrition support and the provision of optimal nutrients are essential in preventing malnutrition in these patients. Aim: This review aims to evaluate the effects of enteral nutrition in critically ill patients with COVID-19. Method: This systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted based on the preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta-Analysis framework and PICO. Searches were conducted in databases, including EMBASE, Health Research databases and Google Scholar. Searches were conducted from database inception until 3 February 2022. The reference lists of articles were also searched for relevant articles. Results: Seven articles were included in the systematic review, and four articles were included in the meta-analysis. Two distinct areas were identified from the results of the systematic review and meta-analysis: the impact of enteral nutrition and gastrointestinal intolerance associated with enteral nutrition. The impact of enteral nutrition was further sub-divided into early enteral nutrition versus delayed enteral nutrition and enteral nutrition versus parenteral nutrition. The results of the meta-analysis of the effects of enteral nutrition in critically ill patients with COVID-19 showed that, overall, enteral nutrition was effective in significantly reducing the risk of mortality in these patients compared with the control with a risk ratio of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.79, 0.99, p = 0.04). Following sub-group analysis, the early enteral nutrition group also showed a significant reduction in the risk of mortality with a risk ratio of 0.89 (95% CI, 0.79, 1.00, p = 0.05). The Relative Risk Reduction (RRR) of mortality in patients with COVID-19 by early enteral nutrition was 11%. There was a significant reduction in the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score in the early enteral nutrition group compared with the delayed enteral nutrition group. There was no significant difference between enteral nutrition and parenteral nutrition in relation to mortality (RR = 0.87; 95% CI, 0.59, 1.28, p = 0.48). Concerning the length of hospital stay, length of ICU stay and days on mechanical ventilation, while there were reductions in the number of days in the enteral nutrition group compared to the control (delayed enteral nutrition or parenteral nutrition), the differences were not significant (p > 0.05). Conclusion: The results showed that early enteral nutrition significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the risk of mortality among critically ill patients with COVID-19. However, early enteral nutrition or enteral nutrition did not significantly (p > 0.05) reduce the length of hospital stay, length of ICU stay and days on mechanical ventilation compared to delayed enteral nutrition or parenteral nutrition. More studies are needed to examine the effect of early enteral nutrition in patients with COVID-19.