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Review
. 2009 Oct;56(5):1143-60.
doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2009.06.007.

Nutritional deficiencies during critical illness

Nilesh M Mehta  1 , Christopher P Duggan
Affiliations
Review

Nutritional deficiencies during critical illness

Nilesh M Mehta et al. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2009 Oct.

Abstract

A significant proportion of critically ill children admitted to the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) present with nutritional deficiencies. Malnourished hospitalized patients have a higher rate of complications, increased mortality, longer length of hospital stay, and increased hospital costs. Critical illness may further contribute to nutritional deteriorate with poor outcomes. Younger age, longer duration of PICU stay, congenital heart disease, burn injury, and need for mechanical ventilation support are some of the factors that are associated with worse nutritional deficiencies. Failure to estimate energy requirements accurately, barriers to bedside delivery of nutrients, and reluctance to perform regular nutritional assessments are responsible for the persistence and delayed detection of malnutrition in this cohort.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Basic pathways of the metabolic stress response to injury
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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