Estimating the time point for nutritional failure in patients suffering from acute brain attacks in the intensive care unit.

Background: Severe brain attack patients demonstrate hypermetabolic state and gastrointestinal dysfunction, leading to faster onset of nutritional failure.

Aim: To estimate the time point where the development of nutritional failure is more probable among patients with acute brain attacks in the intensive care unit (ICU).

Methods: Direct bedside observation for selected nutritional parameters was performed. When enteral nutrition was initiated, observation was performed at five points over 9 days.

Findings: 84 patients with 55% mortality risk and on mechanical ventilation were included. Over the observation period, gastric residual volume increased (144 ml vs 196 ml), body weight decreased (79.4 kg vs 74.3 kg), and serum albumin reduced (3.6 g/dl to 3.1 g/dl). Caloric attainment and malnutrition score deteriorated, and feeding-related complications increased. Nutritional failure was evidently prevalent between the third and fifth day of observation.

Conclusion: An earlier period of enteral nutrition entails higher probability of nutritional failure among severe brain attack patients in the ICU.