Impact of Nutrition Support Team in Achieving Target Calories in Children Admitted in Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Objective: 

To determine the impact of nutrition support team (NST) on achieving an early target caloric goal in mechanically ventilated children admitted in pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).

Methods: 

An early enteral nutrition protocol (EENP) was implemented by NST to ensure early and adequate nutrition provision to PICU patients. All children (1 month– 18 years) that were admitted in PICU for >2days and received mechanical ventilation, with no contraindications to enteral feed, were included and data was compared with those of pre-intervention. The adequacy of energy intake was defined as 70% achievement of target energy intake on the third day of admission. Chi-square/t-test was used to determine the difference between different variables pre and post intervention.

Results: 

Total 180 patients (99 and 81 in pre- and post-intervention group, respectively) were included. Overall, 115 (63.9%) received adequate calories (70%) on third day of admission. Of which 69 (85.2%) were from post intervention (P< 0.001; odds ratio [OR] 6.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.195–13.73). Moreover, NST intervention also promoted adequate protein intake in 62 (76.5%) children compared to 37 (37.4%) in pre-intervention group (P < 0.001, OR 5.468, 95% CI 2.838– 10.534). The median (interquartile range) length of PiCU stay in pre-NST group was 6 (4–9) days and in NST supported group was 4 (3–4) days (OR 0.580, CI 0.473–0.712, P < 0.001). Age, severity of illness, multiorgan dysfunction syndrome, sepsis, need of organ support had no effect in achievement of caloric target in both the groups (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: 

Introduction of EENP with NST helped in the achievement of better and quicker target caloric intake.