Calcium Administration Is Associated with Adverse Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients Receiving Parenteral Nutrition: Results from a Natural Experiment Created by a Calcium Gluconate Shortage.

Study Objective: Parenteral calcium is frequently administered to critically ill patients. However, animal studies demonstrate that calcium administration during critical illness heightens inflammation and leads to shock, organ dysfunction, and mortality. We sought to evaluate the association between calcium administration and adverse outcomes in critically ill patients receiving parenteral nutrition (PN).