The intensivist's assessment of gastrointestinal function: A pilot study

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Gastroenterology
• Clinical Assessment

Background:

• Gastrointestinal dysfunction/failure (GDF) is a frequent complication in critically ill patients.
• The gut's role in organ failure is significant, yet it's often excluded from severity scoring systems.
• Assessing GDF at the bedside presents challenges for intensivists.

Purpose of the Study:

• To survey intensive care specialists in Australia and New Zealand regarding their views on GDF assessment.
• To understand current practices, attitudes, and the perceived need for GDF scoring tools.

Main Methods:

• An online questionnaire was distributed to intensive care specialists in Australia and New Zealand.
• The survey focused on the prevalence of GDF, use of scoring tools, personal assessment methods, and the value of a novel scoring system.

Main Results:

• GDF is a major concern for 84% of surveyed intensivists.
• Only 14% of participants reported using a gut scoring tool in their ICUs.
• A significant majority (92%) believe a novel GDF scoring tool is important for clinical practice and potential integration into organ severity scores.

Conclusions:

• There is a clear need for an objective scoring tool to assess GDF in critically ill patients.
• Developing a novel GDF scoring system is a priority for improving patient care and severity assessment in ICUs.