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150
COVER STORY: Nutrition
Emerging Concepts
Nilesh M. Mehta
Associate Professor of Anesthesia
Harvard Medical School
Introduction The energy burden and protein loss that nutrients (energy, protein) and the
Optimal delivery of nutrients to the criti- are imposed by this response are relevant role for supplemental micronutrients?
cally ill patient might prevent nutritional targets that may be addressed by optimal • What is the best route for nutrient
deterioration and expedite recovery. Prospec- delivery of these macronutrients to support delivery: a) enteral nutrition - EN;
tive cohort studies have demonstrated the the individual and prevent lean body mass b) parenteral nutrition - PN; or c) EN
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independent association between nutritional loss during critical illness. Investigations with supplemental PN.
status and important clinical outcomes (de over past decades have highlighted that • What is the best timing for EN initia-
Souza Menezes et al. 2012). Furthermore, energy requirements may be lower than tion and when (early vs. late) should
failure to provide adequate nutrient intake expected, and the energy expenditure PN be initiated as a supplement if EN
during critical illness has been associated estimations by standard equations are is not feasible or insufficient?
with deterioration of nutritional status and inaccurate, often leading to overfeeding. Optimal nutrition therapy involves careful
poor clinical outcomes (Mehta et al. 2012; prescription of the dose of energy, protein
Mehta et al. 2015). Hence, optimal nutri- the nutrition and micronutrients; delivered at appropriate
tion therapy is an important component prescription in critically time during the illness course; via the most
of the care of critically ill children and an appropriate and safe route. These decisions
area of ongoing interest and inquiry. The ill children must be are often interlinked and the optimal strategy
impact of specific nutrition strategies on individualised for may vary between individuals, dependent
clinical outcomes have not been adequately
demonstrated in randomised clinical trials.
each patient avoiding on the nature and severity of illness and
its metabolic effects, nutritional status and
As a result, there is some uncertainty about overfeeding gastrointestinal dysfunction. Unfortunately,
the optimal timing, route and dose of the few trials that do exist on this subject have
nutrition therapy during critical illness, Protein breakdown is the principal feature explored a one size fits all strategy applied
and practice patterns at the bedside vary of the stress response to critical illness and uniformly to a vastly heterogeneous patient
widely across PICUs worldwide. This era may result in lean body mass loss that is population. Some of the trials have limited
of increased interest but scant evidence is undesirable. Optimal energy and protein external validity and practical questions
fertile for myths and dogma arising from delivery, while preventing overfeeding, related to bedside practice during critical
observational studies, poorly designed may help offset protein losses and preserve illness remain unanswered. The optimal
trials with limited external validity, and muscle mass and long-term function in design that allows careful examination of
expert opinion. A basic understanding of critically ill patients. these interrelated concepts remains elusive.
the metabolic demands from critical illness While some of these questions will require
might help develop a sound nutrition Nutrition Therapy – Key Questions rigorous examination by randomised allo-
strategy. Figure 1 depicts the key aspects There are 3 fundamental questions related cation of distinct therapies; the quest to
of the metabolic stress response to critical to nutrition during acute critical illness: determine one uniform strategy that would
illness in humans (Mehta and Jaksic 2008). • What is the optimal dose for macro- apply to all PICU patients is quixotic and
Table 1A. GRADE methodology – the quality of evidence and definitions. Adapted from Guyatt et al. for the
GRADE Working Group. However, equation estimates are inaccurate
Quality Definition and may result in unintended underfeeding
High Further research is very unlikely to change our confidence in the estimate of
or overfeeding of energy, which may impact
effect patient outcomes (White et al. 2000;
Moderate Further research is likely to have an important impact on our confidence in the Ladd et al. 2018). These equations were
estimate of effect and may change the estimate
developed in populations of healthy chil-
Low Further research is very likely to have an important impact on our confidence in
dren and therefore may not reflect energy
the estimate
expenditure in critically ill children. Sedated
Very low Any estimate of effect is very uncertain
and mechanically ventilated children, in
thermoneutral environments in modern
Table 1B. GRADE criteria for grading evidence. ICUs, may have significant reduction in
Type of Initial Criteria to Criteria to Final Quality energy expenditure. These patients may
Evidence Grade Decrease Increase Grade be at a risk of overfeeding when prescrip-
Grade Grade
tions are guided by estimates of energy
RCT High Study Limitations Strong Association High
Serious (-1) or Strong evidence Moderate requirements, especially if stress factors are
very serious (-2) of association - Low incorporated (Figure 3). In the absence of
limitation to study significant relative Very Low
quality risk of >2 (<0.5) IC, Schofield/WHO equations may be used
Consistency based on consis- as a guide (Mehta et al. 2017). Stress or
Important incon- tent evidence from
sistency (-1) two or more obser-
correction factors should only be applied
vational studies, after careful consideration of metabolic
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Table 2. SCCM + ASPEN guidelines for nutrition therapy for the critically ill child. Source: Mehta et al. 2017
Nutrition screening Obtain accurate anthropometry on admission Very low Strong A valid screen for PICU patients is currently not
and serially; use Z-score cut-offs. available.
Patients should be screened within 48 hours of
admission to detect those at high risk of nutri-
tional deterioration and poor clinical outcomes
Energy requirement Measured energy expenditure (using Indirect Low Weak IC directed energy prescription has not been shown
and delivery Calorimetry) is preferred as a guide to energy to improve clinical outcomes in trials.
prescription. Equations are often inaccurate,
but if IC not available, then use Schofield/
WHO equation (without stress factors) as initial
guide.
The route of delivery and dose of nutrients are
Deliver at least two-thirds of the prescribed linked - careful examination of these aspects in
daily energy requirement by the end of the first Very low Weak future trials is desirable.
week in the PICU
Protein requirement Minimum daily protein intake of 1.5g/kg. Moderate Strong Dosing trials that show impact on clinical outcomes
and delivery Do not recommend RDA values to guide prescription. are lacking
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Protein should be delivered early and via the The route of delivery and dose of nutrients are linked
enteral route. Moderate Weak - careful examination of these aspects in future trials
is desirable.
Route of nutrition EN is feasible and the preferred mode of Low Strong The merits of a continuous versus intermit-
delivery – Enteral nutrient delivery. May improve GI motility and tent feeding strategy needs further study.
mucosal integrity.
Role of gastric residual volume (GRV) as a
Trophic feeding may be initiated within 24-48
Low Weak guide to EN intolerance is questionable and
hours of admission, if patient is stable, and
advanced at optimal rate using a stepwise algo- requires further study.
rithm that helps manage intolerance.
Route of nutrition Do not recommend using PN within 24 Moderate Strong Trials that account for the interrelation
delivery - Paren- hours of admission. between the timing of PN and dose are
teral required.
PN to be reserved for patients with Low Weak
contraindications to EN or in those where The role of supplemental PN after the first 24
EN is insufficient (supplemental). hrs in the PICU needs further examination.
Yes No
et al. 2010). EN intolerance remains chal- Start CONTINUOUS Post-Pyloric Feeds Start CONTINUOUS Gastric Feeds at
at 1ml/kg or 25ml/hr (max) 1ml/kg/hr or 25ml/hr (max)
lenging as we update our definition and -Record baseline abdominal girth (AG) -Record baseline AG
-Gastric residual volume (GRV) is not measured -GRV is measured before initiation and
management strategies. Elevated gastric at each advanced step
Yes No
dysmotility during critical illness and
Reassess after 1 hour
developing strategies to ameliorate it are for signs of intolerance
Review energy and protein adequacy Consider the following:
Consider increasing density of formula Promotility agent
desirable. Overall, we have made signifi- Monitor weight Post-pyloric feeds (if Gastric fed)
If PN is indicated
Consider Indirect Calorimetry
cant strides in achieving safe and optimal Does patient still have
signs of EN intolerance
No Monitor for signs of overfeeding Implement Bowel Management Guideline
Anti-diarrheal agents
Key points
• Critically ill children do not always
respond to critical illness with hyper-
metabolism and often have decreased
energy requirements.
• Overfeeding, from inaccurate estimates
of energy requirement, must be avoided
- indirect calorimetry is a critical tool
that must be used to guide energy
prescription in the ICU.
Figure 6. Stepwise EN algorithm. Source: Hamilton et al. 2014. • Enteral nutrition is preferred and is
feasible in a majority of critically ill
children.
• Parenteral nutrition use soon after
admission to the PICU is not benefi-
approach for individualised timing of PN preservation is one of the key goals of cial as a uniform strategy, and may be
as a supplement to insufficient EN, aiming nutrition during critical illness, and a deferred during the first week in the
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PICU.
for at least 2/3rd of the prescribed energy variety of techniques to measure muscle
• Muscle mass and function preservation
goal by the end of the first week of illness mass and function are being investigated. are key goals of nutrition during critical
is recommended. Optimal PN strategies There is significant interest in exploring illness using optimal nutritional thera-
pies in combination with non-nutritive
may offset its side effects and allow effec- other therapies such as early mobilisa- strategies.
tive use in select patients. tion, physical rehabilitation, exercise,
Future trials will need to demonstrate and muscle stimulation to help achieve
the impact of nutrition strategies on long- this goal (Choong et al. 2018). The role
term functional outcomes in patients. These of nutrition in combination with these Abbreviations
ASPEN American Society for Parenteral &
trials will need innovative designs with non-nutritive therapies must be explored Enteral Nutrition
EN Enteral nutrition
high external validity and testing of the (Wischmeyer et al. 2017). The future of GRV Gastric Residual Volume
IC Indirect calorimetry
nuances of nutrition delivery. Adoption nutrition lies in pragmatic individualised ICU Intensive Care Unit
of common/uniform data elements will therapies that help children recover from OBS Observational Study
PICU Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
allow comparisons between the impact critical illness with minimal impact on PN Parenteral nutrition
RCT Randomised controlled trials
of nutritional strategies on meaningful their long-term development, function SCCM Society of Critical Care Medicine
outcomes. Muscle mass and function and quality of life.