[Multicenter study on incidence of total parenteral nutrition complications in the critically-ill patient. ICOMEP...

To assess enteral nutrition complications in a prospective cohort of patients admitted to the ICU.

Prospective, multicenter study of patients admitted to the ICU and that received enteral nutrition (EN). Demographical data, main diagnosis, and nutritional and severity indexes were included. Complications were previously defined and were categorized as gastrointestinal or infectious. An independent group managed the databases and performed the statistical analysis. Data were expressed in absolute values or by their median and percentile (25-75). The rate and incidence density of complications and the odds ratio for complications were determined.

544 out of 3409 patients received enteral nutrition. Three hundred and three patients were admitted for medical causes, 149 for surgical causes and 92 for trauma. Ninety nine patients were underfed, and the nutritional risk index was 69.7. The incidence of gastrointestinal complications was 6 episodes per 100 days of nutrition, and in 89 patient they resulted in enteral nutrition withdrawal. Early enteral nutrition did not yield more complications than late EN. Vomiting was more frequent in late EN (OR 0.4; 95%CI: 0.2-0.7). Temporary withdrawal of diet in 140 patients was the most used procedure, which resulted in a lower caloric intake (median of 2 kcal/kg/d) than programmed. Nosocomial infection rates were 7.47% for catheter-induced sepsis and 51% for other nosocomial infections, and 35% developed pneumonia.

Gastrointestinal complications with enteral nutrition are frequent, result in insufficient caloric intake and definitive withdrawal of diet in a significant number of cases. Early enteral nutrition is not associated with an increased number of complications. Episodes of increase of the gastric residue do not increase the incidence of pneumonia. Other infectious complications are within the range of what has been published and seem to be little modified by the use of enteral nutrition.