Aim To assess the feasibility, tolerance and effectiveness of enteral nutrition in critically ill patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation in the prone position for severe Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). Methods Prospective observational study conducted in a multidisciplinary critical care unit of a tertiary care hospital from January 2013 until July 2015. All patients with ARDS who received invasive mechanical ventilation in prone position during the study period were included. Patients’ demographics, severity of illness (Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II) score), baseline markers of nutritional status (subjective global assessment (SGA) and body mass index), details of nutrition delivery during prone and supine hours and outcomes (Length of stay and discharge status) were recorded. Results Fifty-one patients met inclusion criteria out of whom four patients were excluded from analysis since they did not receive any enteral nutrition due to severe hemodynamic instability. The mean age of patients was 46.4 ± 12.9 years, with male:female ratio of 7:3. On admission, SGA revealed moderate malnutrition in 51% of patients and the mean APACHE II score was 26.8 ± 9.2. The average duration of prone ventilation per patient was 60.2 ± 30.7 h. All patients received continuous nasogastric/orogastric feeds. The mean calories (kcal/kg/day) and protein (g/kg/day) prescribed in the supine position were 24.5 ± 3.8 and 1.1 ± 0.2 while the mean calories and protein prescribed in prone position were 23.5 ± 3.6 and 1.1 ± 0.2, respectively. Percentage of prescribed calories received by patients in supine position was similar to that in prone position (83.2% vs. 79.6%; P = 0.12). Patients received a higher percentage of prescribed protein in supine compared to prone position (80.8% vs. 75%, P = 0.02). The proportion of patients who received at least 75% of the caloric and protein goals was 37 (78.7%) and 37 (78.7%) in supine and 32 (68.1%) and 21 (44.6%) in prone position. Conclusion In critically ill patients receiving invasive mechanical ventilation in the prone position, enteral nutrition with nasogastric/orogastric feeding is feasible and well tolerated. Nutritional delivery of calories and proteins in prone position is comparable to that in supine position.

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Aim Current literature regarding the prevalence and consequences of poor dietary intake and risk of malnutrition in older adults is limited to wealthier regions including the United States, Europe and Australasia. With a rapidly ageing population in India, this prospective observational study aimed to evaluate hospital food intake and malnutrition risk and their impact on hospital length of stay, readmission rates and in‐hospital mortality of older adults in Indian hospitals. Methods Data collected during nutritionDay worldwide audits (2014‐2016), in five urban, private hospitals in India included baseline demographic and clinical data on patients aged ≥60 years. Proportion of food consumed at one main meal was recorded and data on length of stay, readmissions and in‐hospital mortality were collected 30 days post‐baseline. Results A total of 262 participants (mean age: 69 ± 8 years; 65% males) were recruited. Mapped malnutrition risk (mapped Malnutrition Screening Tool [mMST] score ≥ 2) on admission was 31% and increased to 44% during the course of hospitalisation. Over one quarter of participants consumed ≤50% of their meal (28%). Over half the participants were found to be eating poorly (59%) and those identified as at risk of malnutrition were not offered additional nutrition support. The median LOS was 8 days (range: 1‐92), 30‐day readmission rates were 7% and in‐hospital mortality was 0.4%. Malnutrition risk and poor food intake were not associated with health‐related outcomes. Conclusion Older adults in Indian acute care hospitals have a noticeable prevalence of malnutrition risk and poor food intake. There is an opportunity for future research to focus on identifying and managing nutritional issues.

Background and Aim:Intensive-care practices and settings may differ for India in comparison to other countries. While international guidelines are available to direct the use of enteral nutrition (EN), there are no recommendations specific to Indian settings. Advisory board meetings were arranged to develop the practice guidelines specific to Indian context, for the use of EN in critically ill patients and to overcome challenges in this field.Methods:Various existing guidelines, meta-analyses, randomized controlled trials, controlled trials, and review articles were reviewed for their contextual relevance and strength. A systematic grading of practice guidelines by advisory board was done based on strength of the supporting evidence. Wherever Indian studies were not available, references were taken from the international guidelines.Results:Based on the literature review, the recommendations for developing the practice guidelines were made as per the grading criteria agreed upon by the advisory board. The recommendations were to address challenges regarding EN versus parenteral nutrition; nutrition screening and assessment; nutrition in hemodynamically unstable; route of nutrition; tube feeding and challenges; tolerance; optimum calorie-protein requirements; selection of appropriate enteral feeding formula; micronutrients and immune-nutrients; standard nutrition in hepatic, renal, and respiratory diseases and documentation of nutrition practices.Conclusion:This paper summarizes the optimum nutrition practices for critically ill patients. The possible solutions to overcome the challenges in this field are presented as practice guidelines at the end of each section. These guidelines are expected to provide guidance in critical care settings regarding appropriate critical-care nutrition practices and to set up Intensive Care Unit nutrition protocols.

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