• Kim M Sabino, Julie Fuller, Scott May, and Dorothy Wakefield.
• Trinity Health Of New England, Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, Connecticut, 06105, USA.
• Nutr Clin Pract. 2021 Feb 1; 36 (1): 192-200.

BackgroundMultiple societal guidelines recommend enteral nutrition (EN) be initiated within 24 to 48 hours of admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) once a patient is hemodynamically stable. Gastrointestinal intolerance and occurrence of bowel ischemia have been a concern for patients receiving vasopressors while concurrently receiving luminal nutrients. The study objective was to determine whether patients receiving vasopressors while concomitantly receiving enteral nutrients had more incidences of bowel ischemia and intolerance than those receiving EN without vasopressor agents.MethodsThis retrospective study included 319 medical and surgical ICU patients from a level 1 trauma center. The patients were either receiving vasopressors simultaneously with EN (n = 178) or EN alone (n = 141). Data regarding gastric residual volume (GRV), new abdominal pain, emesis, and bowel ischemia were collected.ResultsThere were more patients who had elevated GRV in the group that received vasopressors than patients who did not (20% vs 7%; P-value < .01). There were no differences between rates of bowel ischemia, emesis, or new abdominal pain between the 2 groups.ConclusionBased on our findings, EN is generally well tolerated and safe for those patients simultaneously receiving vasopressors.© 2020 American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition.

11 keywords...

hide…