Related Experiment Videos
Enteral feeding.
1Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Division of Gastroenterology, St. Michael's Hospital, Ontario, Canada. khushjeejeebhoy@compuserve.com
Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care
|October 24, 2002
Summary
Enteral nutrition is now preferred over parenteral nutrition for hospital patients, though its optimal timing and use of immune-enhancing nutrients remain debated. Potential risks include pneumonia and bowel ischemia, while benefits in Crohn disease and long-term care are under investigation.
Area of Science:
- Clinical Nutrition
- Gastroenterology
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Malnutrition significantly increases morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients.
- Parenteral nutrition was favored from 1970-1980, but enteral nutrition is now the preferred method.
- The evolution of nutritional support highlights ongoing advancements in patient care.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the evolving landscape of nutritional support in hospitals over the past 50 years.
- To discuss the controversies and debates surrounding enteral nutrition.
- To explore the benefits and risks of various nutritional strategies.
Main Methods:
- Review of scientific literature and clinical practices.
- Analysis of historical trends in nutritional therapy.
- Discussion of current debates regarding enteral nutrition protocols.
Main Results:
- Enteral nutrition has largely replaced parenteral nutrition for hospital patients.
- Debates persist regarding the optimal timing for initiating enteral nutrition (e.g., within 24 hours).
- Immune-enhancing nutrients in enteral nutrition are considered for critically ill patients, with ongoing evaluation of risks (aspiration pneumonia, bowel ischemia) and benefits.
Conclusions:
- Enteral nutrition is the current standard, but its application requires careful consideration of timing and specific patient needs.
- The role of enteral nutrition in reducing steroid dependency for Crohn disease warrants further investigation.
- The efficacy of enteral nutrition in improving outcomes for demented or vegetative patients remains unclear and requires more research.