The Frequency, Risk Factors, and Complications of Gastrointestinal Dysfunction During Enteral Nutrition in Critically Ill Patients

Critical illness is typically associated with a catabolic stress state in which patients demonstrate a systemic inflammatory response coupled with complications of increased infectious morbidity, multiple organ dysfunction, prolonged hospitalization, and disproportionate mortality. Suspension of feeding and the resultant inability to reach nutritional goals is one complication of gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction, but there are others (mucosal barrier disruption, altered motility, atrophy of the mucosa, and reduced mass of gut-associated lymphoid tissue) that may explain the greater length of stay (LOS) and death rate with GI dysfunction. In Europe and the United States, nutritional administration guidelines recommend primarily enteral nutrition (EN) for hemodynamically stable intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Providing EN in these patients has been shown to be superior to parenteral nutrition. GI complications such as constipation, delayed gastric emptying, diarrhea, and vomiting may occur in up to 50% of mechanically ventilated patients and adversely affect ICU mortality and LOS. Nevertheless, there is no consensus for obtaining a precise assessment of GI function.Diagnosis of GI dysfunction in ICU patients is complex and relies on clinical symptoms. Lack of validated markers of GI system dysfunction is often misdiagnosed and poorly managed in the ICU. The role of nutrition in critical illness is important, but there is an increasing evidence and broadening consensus that aggressive early feeding as well as prolonged underfeeding both should be avoided. Avoidance of complications like malnutrition, aspiration of gastric contents, wound infections, and decubitus through GI dysfunction is an important part of management of patients with GI failure.