Biochemical monitoring of nutrition support

Laboratory monitoring is an important part of the assessment and management of all patients requiring enteral or parenteral nutritional support. The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has recently published a report on the provision of nutrition support in hospitals and in the community. Of special relevance are the recommendations that all laboratories which support a clinical nutrition service should be part of a multidisciplinary Nutrition Support Team, and that they should ensure that there is an agreed local protocol for laboratory testing and monitoring of patients receiving nutritional support.