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Resting energy expenditure in stroke patients who are dependent on tube feeding: a pilot study
Ashley Leone1, Paul B Pencharz
1Department of General Internal Medicine, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Background & Aims:
Energy requirements of chronic stroke patients are not known. The purpose was to determine the energy requirements of stable stroke patients who are tube fed.
Methods:
Resting energy expenditure was measured in tube fed, chronic stroke patients (n=10) using indirect calorimetry. Fat free mass was then measured using bioelectrical impedance to determine the relationship between fat free mass and resting energy expenditure. The results were compared to a healthy control group (n=57), using multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA).
Results:
Fat free mass was significantly lower in the stroke group (42.2+/-2.3kg) than the controls (51.0+/-1.5kg) (p<0.02). Adjustment of resting energy expenditure for fat free mass brought the mean resting energy expenditure of the stroke group (5439+/-235kJ/d) closer to that of the controls (6336+/-149kJ/d) than the original measured values. However, adjusted resting energy expenditure remained significantly lower for the stroke group than for the control group (p<0.02).
Conclusions:
Resting energy expenditure and hence energy needs of chronically tube fed stroke survivors appear to be reduced.
