Effects of enteral feeding products on survival from Escherichia coli peritonitis

Male Fischer 344 rats were orally fed one of four diets (Osmolite HN, Alitraq, Impact, and Purina rodent chow). After 6 days, jejunal mucosal nitrogen content and thickness were normal in all groups. After 7 days, challenge with Escherichia coli intraperitoneally demonstrated no difference in survival for any dietary group. In a second study, acute protein-calorie malnutrition was induced by administering 5% dextrose orally for 10 days. Animals were refed for 7 days with one of the four diets. Serum albumin concentrations and intestinal mucosal nitrogen content and thickness returned to normal with each refeeding program. Challenge with E. coli after 7 days of refeeding, however, again demonstrated no difference in survival for any dietary group. Specialized enteral feeding products, containing additional amounts of arginine, glutamine, glutamate, RNA, and omega-3 fatty acids, are no more effective than a standard enteral feeding product or rat chow in maintaining intestinal anatomy or restoring anatomy following fasting. Furthermore, we found no survival advantage for the specialized products following E. coli peritonitis.