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A new study published in March’s Clinical Nutrition ESPEN shows that ProSource TF and ProSource Plus Liquid Proteins are clinically proven effective in optimizing nutrition care in ICU tube fed patients by meeting individualized protein requirements without overfeeding calories.
According to recent studies and the 2016 ASPEN Critical Care Guidelines, relatively high protein input, 1.2-2.5 g protein/kg/d while not exceeding energy expenditure appears to be beneficial in terms of preserving lean body mass (LBM) during catabolism, reducing mortality and improving wound healing. Even in severe inflammatory states, optimal protein supply may help maintain vital LBM and supply amino acids to maintain acute-phase protein synthesis, wound healing and immunity.
Despite the acknowledged importance of generous protein provision, many critically ill patients still receive less than half of the most common formal protein recommendations in modern hospital’s ICUs. Until recently differences in clinical outcome have been examined in terms of the energy goal-versus under-feeding. Most studies failed to set the energy goal by an accurate measure or estimate of expenditure or independently set protein prescription. This leads to under-prescription of protein, possibly adversely affecting outcome.
In the new groundbreaking study, Critical care: Meeting protein requirements without overfeeding (Taylor S et al; CN ESPEN 2016), involving 139 ICU patients requiring full enteral nutrition, the researchers investigated whether an enteral nutrition prescription could meet local and international protein guidelines without overfeeding calories.
The results of the study demonstrated that the Protein prescriptions failed to meet local guidelines in 75% (p < 0.001) and international guidelines in 45 – 100% (p <0.001) of patients. Prescriptions meeting at least 90% of protein guidelines and 130 g of carbohydrate could be increased from between 53 and 94% using a ProSource TF and 82 and 100% using ProSource Plus liquid proteins..
The researchers concluded:
Currently most enteral feeds have a non-protein energy: nitrogen (NPE:gN) ratio too high to provide adequate ‘protein’ without overfeeding energy in critically ill patients. The researchers confirmed that a pure protein supplement -ProSource TF- could significantly reduce this deficit. When protein and carbohydrate requirements are relatively high, particularly in low body weight patients, a protein supplement with glucose -ProSource Plus- could be used to reduce the protein and glucose deficits.
The study can be found here:
PIIS2405457715001540