Effectiveness of an Early Enteral Feeding Protocol on Clinical Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients: A Quasi-experimental Study
试验速览
- 阶段
- 不适用
- 状态
- 已完成
- 发起方
- 入组人数
- 80
- 试验地点
- 1
- 主要终点
- Length of ICU Stay (in days)
研究概览
简要总结
This study evaluated the effectiveness of an early enteral feeding protocol in critically ill adult patients admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The intervention involved initiating enteral nutrition within 24-48 hours of ICU admission. Clinical outcomes such as ICU length of stay, ventilator dependency, and selected laboratory values were compared between patients who received early enteral feeding and those who received standard nutritional care. The study was conducted at Jenin Governmental Hospital in Palestine between January and April 2024, with 80 adult participants.
详细描述
This is a retrospectively registered, quasi-experimental study that investigated the clinical impact of implementing an early enteral feeding protocol in a critical care setting. Conducted in Jenin Governmental Hospital, Palestine, the research explored how protocolized early nutritional support affects physiological recovery and ICU-related outcomes in critically ill adult patients.
The study was motivated by the well-established role of early enteral nutrition in maintaining gut integrity, supporting immune function, and reducing complications in ICU patients. Despite international guidelines recommending its use within 24-48 hours of ICU admission, early enteral feeding remains underutilized in many low-resource healthcare settings. Factors contributing to this gap include variability in clinical practice, limited institutional protocols, and staff training constraints.
This investigation was carried out between January and April 2024 and followed rigorous ethical standards, with Institutional Review Board approval from Arab American University (Reference: R-2024/B/85/N). Patients were grouped based on the time period of admission into either a protocol-based early feeding group or a standard care group. Intervention fidelity was maintained through a pre-defined feeding protocol implemented by ICU staff after appropriate orientation and monitoring.
The study contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting structured nutritional protocols in ICUs and highlights the feasibility and benefits of such interventions in middle-income and resource-constrained settings. The data gathered and analyzed provide a foundation for future policy development aimed at standardizing nutritional support for critically ill patients.
研究设计
- 研究类型
- Interventional
- 分配方式
- Non Randomized
- 干预模型
- Parallel
- 主要目的
- Treatment
- 盲法
- None
盲法说明
This was an open-label study. Neither the care providers nor the participants were blinded to the intervention assignment.
入排标准
- 年龄范围
- 18 Years 至 —（Adult, Older Adult）
- 性别
- All
- 接受健康志愿者
- 否
入选标准
- •Adults aged 18 years and older
- •Admitted to the ICU and eligible for enteral feeding
- •Expected to stay in the ICU for more than 48 hours
- •Able to initiate enteral feeding within 24-48 hours of ICU admission
- •Informed consent obtained from the patient or legal guardian
排除标准
- •Pregnant or lactating women
- •Patients with gastrointestinal bleeding or obstruction
- •Patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery or with short bowel syndrome
- •Diagnosed with COVID-19 during admission
- •End-of-life care patients or those with do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders
- •Refusal to participate or withdrawal of consent
研究组 & 干预措施
Early Enteral Feeding Protocol
Participants in this group received early enteral nutrition initiated within 24-48 hours of ICU admission, based on a structured feeding protocol. The protocol followed international guidelines (ASPEN/ESPEN) and was implemented by ICU staff with training and monitoring support.
干预措施: Early Enteral Feeding Protocol (Other)
Standard Nutritional Care
Participants in this group received standard ICU nutritional care without the implementation of the early enteral feeding protocol. Feeding initiation and type were left to physician discretion based on clinical judgment and routine hospital practices.
干预措施: Standard Nutritional Care (Other)
结局指标
主要结局
Length of ICU Stay (in days)
时间窗: Through ICU discharge, up to 7 days
Duration of patient stay in the intensive care unit, measured in full days from admission to discharge.
次要结局
- Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) Score(Daily for up to 7 days.)
- Calcium Level (mg/dL)(Day 1 and Day 7 of ICU stay)
- Bicarbonate (HCO₃) Level (mEq/L)(Day 1 and Day 7 of ICU stay)
- Fraction of Inspired Oxygen (FiO₂) Requirement (%)(Daily for up to 7 days)
- Hemoglobin Level (g/dL)(Day 1 and Day 7 of ICU stay)
- Platelet Count (×10³/μL)(Day 1 and Day 7 of ICU stay)
- Mechanical Ventilation Duration (in days)(Through ICU discharge, up to 7 days)
- Positive End-Expiratory Pressure (PEEP) Requirement (cmH₂O)(Daily for up to 7 days)
研究者
Loai Muawiah Zabin
Faculty Member, Arab American University
Arab American University (Palestine)