A Retrospective Study of Energy and Protein Intake Among Intensive Care Unit Patients

Abstract

Critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are subjected to catabolic stress. To compensate for the severe loss of muscles, international guidelines stress on the importance of supplementing ICU patients with higher protein and energy. There is however a controversy about the adequate amount and progression of protein and energy administration. The present study therefore aimed to investigate the association between protein and energy intake and ICU length of stay (LOS). A retrospective data analysis was conducted on ICU patients (53.6% males and 46.4% females, age 70.43±14.74) who resided in the intensive care of the LAU Medical Center Rizk Hospital for more than three days. Day to day protein and caloric intakes, clinical, and demographic information were collected from the patients’ charts. Binary logistic regressions were used to examine the relationship between LOS and intakes, as well as other covariates. Protein and caloric intake on days three and five showed no significant association with LOS. However, intakes on day five showed a significant inverse association with sepsis (p=0.019 for protein and p=0.042 for energy). Logistic regression analyses assessing the determinants of sepsis showed that it was significantly associated with protein and energy intake (R2=5.9%), mechanical ventilation, and presence ulcers. The present study findings suggest that sepsis could be a possible mediator in how protein and energy intake can affect ICU LOS.