Current Opinion in Critical Care · 3 authors, 3 centres
This summary was generated by AI from a single paper. It has not been reviewed by a clinician and is not clinical advice. Verify against the source before acting on it.
This narrative review summarizes that gastrointestinal dysfunction is common in critically ill ICU patients and can negatively impact nutrition delivery. It discusses various available strategies to improve nutrient delivery during such dysfunction, though evidence for their routine use is sometimes lacking.
This narrative review discusses the challenge of providing nutrition support to critically ill patients with gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction in the intensive care unit (ICU). The authors state that GI dysfunction is common and can limit the provision, uptake, and handling of enteral nutrients. They note that higher severity of GI dysfunction, measured by acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI) grades, is associated with lower caloric intake and increased mortality. The review describes that while some strategies exist to overcome GI dysfunction and improve nutrient delivery, clear definitions and diagnostic tools are lacking. The central conclusion is that further research into the diagnosis, pathophysiology, and therapeutic strategies for GI dysfunction is needed to improve patient outcomes.
