SummaryThe incidence of upper gastrointestinal (UG /) bleeding and the effect of nutritional support was studied retrospectively in 166 spinal cord injured patients. Sixty six patients included in group 1 were started on oral diet when 'clinically ready' which resulted in a haphazard manner for provision of nutrition. One hundred patients in group 2 were treated according to an organised nutrition protocol. The protocol initiates total parental nutrition (TPN) If the patient is not tolerating an oral diet by day 5. All group 2 patients met their total energy requirements (TER) within 48 hours after initiating caloric supplementation.The overall incidence of acute acid peptic ulceration leading to significant bleeding or perforation was 4%. Five of the 66 group 1 patients (7.5'jo) and 2 of the 100 group 2 patients (2%) developed acute ulcerations. While the exact mechanism remains unclear, this significant (p < 0·05) reduction indicates that a nutritional regimen that meets a patients TER decreases the likelihood of acid peptic complica tions after spinal cord injury.

No abstract

No abstract

No abstract