[Continuous enteral nutrition versus single bolus: effects on urine C peptide and nitrogen balance].

Background And Objective: Our study was designed to assess the impact on nitrogen and glucose metabolism when it is administered either as discontinuous or as continuous infusion.

Patients And Method: We assessed the nutritional efficacy (nitrogen balance) and hyperinsulinism risk (urine C peptide excretion) of enteral nutrition in 23 patients hospitalized because of acute stroke.

Results: The feeding tolerance of our enteral nutrition protocol (nasoenteric catheter) was full in every patient. The nitrogen balance was positive in both patterns, but the balance in the continuous feeding pattern was better than in the bolus feeding one. On the contrary, the urine C peptide excretion was increased when enteral nutrition was administered intermittently as compared with continuous feeding. Calciuria was greater in the continuous fed pattern than in the bolus feeding.

Conclusions: Continuous feeding is associated with better nitrogen balance and less urine C peptide excretion than intermittent feeding. These results suggest that continuous feeding would be an interesting choice to improve glucose control in diabetic patients with enteral nutrition.