Lúcia Caruso

Terapia nutricional enteral: aplicação de indicadores de qualidade

OBJETIVOS: Monitorar a adequacao da terapia nutricional enteral na unidade de terapia intensiva visando a melhoria da qualidade da assistencia nutricional. METODOS: Estudo prospectivo e observacional desenvolvido na unidade de terapia intensiva adulto entre 2005 e 2008. Participaram da amostra pacientes maiores de 18 anos com terapia nutricional enteral exclusiva por mais de 72h. Analisou-se os valores medios e a adequacao percentual de energia e proteinas calculados, prescritos e administrados em cada ano. Os fatores responsaveis pela nao conformidade na administracao planejada foram classificados em causas externas ou internas a unidade de terapia intensiva. Foram aplicados os indicadores de qualidade propostos pelo International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) Brasil, sendo expressos em metas percentuais. Nas analises estatisticas utilizou-se o intervalo de confianca e os testes t Student e Mann-Whitney (p<0,05), segundo o programa Epi Info. RESULTADOS: Foram acompanhados 116 pacientes. Os valores medios de energia e proteinas administrados em 2005 e em 2006 apresentaram diferencas estatisticas quando comparados a 2008. A adequacao calculado/prescrito permaneceu proxima a 100% em todos os levantamentos e a adequacao administrado/prescrito aumentou de 74% em 2005, para 89% em 2008. Constatou-se o aumento nas interrupcoes da terapia nutricional enteral por fatores externos e a diminuicao das interrupcoes por fatores internos a unidade. Os indicadores de qualidade igualmente refletem a evolucao da assistencia prestada. CONCLUSAO: Nos quatro levantamentos anuais verificou-se a melhora progressiva da oferta nutricional. Os indicadores de qualidade sao uma nova perspectiva na avaliacao da terapia nutricional enteral, permitindo monitorar a evolucao da qualidade da assistencia nutricional e a comparacao com dados de outros servicos.

Terapia nutricional enteral em unidade de terapia intensiva: infusão versus necessidades

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: In critically ill patients nutritional deficiency is common. Considering this fact, the diary monitoring of energy delivered is extremely important. The objective of this study is to assess the adequacy of enteral nutrition (EN) in an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and identify the reasons for interruptions in feeding. METHODS: Prospective study of adult patients admitted to ICU in period of 53 days. Patients receiving continuous enteral tube feeding (22 hours/day) exclusively and post-pyloric tube feeding position were followed. The feeding volume started at 25 mL/h and was increased until nutritional goal, guided by a feeding protocol. RESULTS: 33 patients between 18 and 85 years old were studied. 58% were male. The main admission diagnoses were cardiovascular diseases (27%) and septic shock (21%). The mean time to feeding was 25.3 hours after the patient admission and nutritional goal was achieved in a mean time of 32 hours. The total volume prescribed per day was sufficient to guarantee a mean of 26.1 kcal/kg of body weight and 1.04 g of protein/kg of body weight. Patients received a mean of 19.5 kcal/kg of body weight and 0.8 g of protein/kg of body weight, which correspond a 74% of adequacy. Interruptions of feeding for routine procedures related to patients accounted for 40.6% of the total reasons. CONCLUSIONS: The nutritional support is adequate considering the literature for these patients, who clinical instability causes gastrointestinal intolerance. The effective participation of the Nutrition Therapy Team can contribute positively on nutritional therapy.

Impacto da adequação da oferta energética sobre a mortalidade em pacientes de UTI recebendo nutrição enteral

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between adequacy of energy intake and intensive care unit mortality in patients receiving exclusive enteral nutrition therapy. METHODS: Observational and prospective study conducted during 2008 and 2009. Patients above 18 years with exclusive enteral nutrition therapy for at least 72 hours were included. The adequacy of energy intake was estimated by the administered/prescribed ratio. Non-conditional logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between predictive variables (adequacy of energy intake, APACHE II, gender, age, and intensive care unit length of stay) and intensive care unit mortality. RESULTS: Sixty-three patients (mean 58 years, 27% mortality) were included, 47.6% of whom received more than 90% of the energy prescribed (mean adequacy 88.2%). Mean energy balance was -190 kcal/day. Significant associations between death in the intensive care unit and the variables age and intensive care unit length of stay were observed, after removing the variables adequacy of energy intake, APACHE II, gender and age during the modeling process. CONCLUSION: In our study, adequacy of energy intake did not affect intensive care unit mortality. Carefully followed enteral nutrition protocols, resulting in an administered/prescribed ratio above 70%, are apparently not sufficient to impact the mortality rates in the intensive care unit. Therefore, it may not be necessary to achieve 100% of the targeted energy, considering the high frequency of enteral feeding interruptions due to gastrointestinal intolerance and fasting for tests and procedures. Additional research is needed to identify the optimal energy intake for improved outcomes and reduced costs.

Adequação dos balanços energético e proteico na nutrição por via enteral em terapia intensiva: quais são os fatores limitantes?

Objective To determine the factors that influence the adequacy of enteral nutritional therapy in an intensive care unit. Methods This prospective observational study was conducted in an intensive care unit between 2010 and 2012. Patients >18 years of age underwent exclusive enteral nutritional therapy for ≥72 hours. The energy and protein requirements were calculated according to the ICU protocols. The data regarding enteral nutrition, the causes of non-compliance, and the biochemical test results were collected daily. Results Ninety-three patients admitted to the intensive care unit were evaluated. Among these patients, 82% underwent early enteral nutritional therapy, and 80% reached the nutritional goal in <36 hours. In addition, 81.6%±15.4% of the enteral nutrition volume was infused, with an adequacy of 82.2%±16.0% for calories, 82.2%±15.9% for proteins, and a mean energy balance of -289.9±277.1kcal/day. A negative correlation of C-reactive protein with the volume infused and the energy and protein balance was observed. In contrast, a positive correlation was found between C-reactive protein and the time required to reach nutritional goals. Extubation was the main cause for interrupting the enteral nutritional therapy (29.9% of the interruption hours), and the patients >60 years of age exhibited a lower percentage of recovery of the oral route compared with the younger patients (p=0.014). Conclusion Early enteral nutritional therapy and the adequacy for both energy and protein of the nutritional volume infused were in accordance with the established guidelines. Possible inadequacies of energy and protein balance appeared to be associated with an acute inflammatory response, which was characterized by elevated C-reactive protein levels. The main cause of interruption of the enteral nutritional therapy was the time spent in extubation.Objective: To determine the factors that influence the adequacy of enteral nutritional therapy in an intensive care unit. Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted in an intensive care unit between 2010 and 2012. Patients >18 years of age underwent exclusive enteral nutritional therapy for ≥72 hours. The energy and protein requirements were calculated according to the ICU protocols. The data regarding enteral nutrition, the causes of non-compliance, and the biochemical test results were collected daily. Results: Ninety-three patients admitted to the intensive care unit were evaluated. Among these patients, 82% underwent early enteral nutritional therapy, and 80% reached the nutritional goal in 60 years of age exhibited a lower percentage of recovery of the oral route compared with the younger patients (p=0.014). Conclusion: Early enteral nutritional therapy and the adequacy for both energy and protein of the nutritional volume infused were in accordance with the established guidelines. Possible inadequacies of energy and protein balance appeared to be associated with an acute inflammatory response, which was characterized by elevated C-reactive protein levels. The main cause of interruption of the enteral nutritional therapy was the time spent in extubation.

Quality indicators for enteral and parenteral nutrition therapy: application in critically ill patients «at nutritional risk»

INTRODUCTION Quality Indicators for Nutritional Therapy (QINT) allow a practical assessment of nutritional therapy (NT) quality. OBJECTIVE To apply and monitor QINT for critically ill patients at nutritional risk. METHODS Cross sectional study including critically ill patients > 18 years old, at nutritional risk, on exclusive enteral (ENT) or parenteral nutritional therapy (PNT) for > 72 hours. After three consecutive years, 9 QINT were applied and monitored. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS version 17.0. RESULTS A total of 145 patients were included, 93 patients were receiving ENT, among then 65% were male and the mean age was 55.7 years (± 17.4); 52 patients were receiving PNT, 67% were male and the mean age was 58.1 years (± 17.4). All patients (ENT and PNT) were nutritionally screened at admission and their energy and protein needs were individually estimated. Only ENT was early initiated, more than 70% of the prescribed ENT volume was infused and there was a reduced withdrawal of enteral feeding tube. The frequency of diarrhea episodes and digestive fasting were not adequate in ENT patients. The proper supply of energy was contemplated only for PNT patients and there was an expressive rate of oral intake recovery in ENT patients. CONCLUSION After three years of research, the percentage of QINT adequacy varied between 55%-77% for ENT and 60%-80% for PNT. The results were only made possible by the efforts of a multidisciplinary team and the continuous re-evaluation of the procedures in order to maintain the nutritional assistance for patients at nutritional risk.