Use of a Nutritional Risk Assessment Tool to Guide Early Enteral Nutrition among Mechanically Ventilated Trauma Patients.

Background: The Modified Nutritional Risk in Critically Ill (mNUTRIC) score has been proposed as a tool to identify hospitalized patients at risk for malnutrition who may benefit from early enteral nutrition (EN) therapy.

Objective: Our goal was to determine if mNUTRIC scores could predict, at time of intensive care unit admission, which mechanically ventilated trauma patients were at risk for malnutrition and might benefit from early EN, as indicated by reduced mortality.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective chart review of all adult trauma patients requiring mechanical ventilation for at least 48 hours between 01/21/2012 and 12/31/2016, reviewing inpatient medical records, demographic data, disease markers, injury severity, and comorbidities.