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Published on: August 19, 2020

[Energy expenditure in critically ill children: correlation with clinical characteristics, caloric intake, and

J López-Herce Cid1, C Sánchez Sánchez, S Mencía Bartolomé

  • 1Sección de Cuidados Intensivos Pediátricos, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, España. pielvi@ya.com

Anales De Pediatria (Barcelona, Spain : 2003)
|March 14, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Energy expenditure (EE) in critically ill children shows wide variability. Indirect calorimetry is a simple, accurate method for measuring EE in these patients, unlike theoretical formulas.

Area of Science:

  • Critical care medicine
  • Pediatric physiology
  • Nutritional support

Context:

  • Critically ill infants and children often require precise nutritional management.
  • Accurate assessment of energy expenditure (EE) is crucial for optimizing treatment.
  • Existing theoretical formulas for predicting EE may not be reliable in this population.

Purpose:

  • To investigate energy expenditure (EE) in critically ill pediatric patients.
  • To compare measured EE with values predicted by various theoretical formulas.
  • To explore correlations between EE and clinical factors, including mechanical ventilation and nutrition.

Summary:

  • A prospective study measured EE in 43 critically ill infants and children using indirect calorimetry.
  • Measured EE exhibited significant individual variability and was lower in post-cardiac surgery patients.
  • Theoretical predictive equations frequently failed to accurately estimate EE, while caloric intake showed some correlation.

Impact:

  • Indirect calorimetry provides a simple and potentially generalizable method for accurate EE measurement in critically ill children.
  • Findings highlight the limitations of theoretical formulas, emphasizing the need for direct measurement.
  • Improved EE assessment can lead to more personalized and effective nutritional strategies in pediatric critical care.
Abstract

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