Jpen Parenter Enter
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Jpen Parenter Enter · Jul 2001
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study Clinical TrialA controlled comparison of traditional feeding tube verification methods to a bedside, electromagnetic technique.
Benefits of enteral feeding are diminished by aspiration pneumonia and mechanical complications of misplaced feeding tubes. To avoid complications, clinicians determine the location of the tip before feeding. This study compares diagnostic test characteristics of 4 techniques for tip localization. ⋯ The 4 methods agreed with the radiograph in (mean, 95% confidence interval): 84 (80 to 88)%, 50 (45 to 55)%, 56 (51 to 61)%, and 76 (72 to 81)% of observations, respectively. Only the electromagnetic method and aspiration identified all tubes located above the diaphragm (negative likelihood ratio 0 and sensitivity 100%). Aspiration was unsuccessful in making a determination in 53% of the observations, whereas the electromagnetic method was successful 90% of the time.
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Jpen Parenter Enter · Jul 2001
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialMetabolic effects of arginine addition to the enteral feeding of critically ill patients.
Some studies have suggested that the addition of arginine to enteral feeding solutions may improve outcome in critically ill patients, but the mechanism is incompletely explained. In particular, the availability and utilization of arginine administered enterally is not well defined. ⋯ Supplemental arginine in enteral feeding is readily absorbed, and mainly metabolized into ornithine, presumably by the arginase enzyme.