Sars-Cov2 Critically Ill Pazients: Focus on Nutrition

Abstract

Objective SARS-CoV-2 disease is a severe infection that has forced millions of patients to stay in ICU.(2) SARS-CoV-2 pneumonia appears to occur rapidly and is often associated with gastrointestinal disorders that compromise the patient ability to adequately feed, causing a severely malnourished and sarcopenic status.(1) Our hypothesis is that a strategy, based on the use of whey protein, that guarantee a fast achievement of protein and caloric targets, can reduce the duration of ventilation and mortality. Methods and procedures We studied and treated 32 COVID-19 patients from 9/3 to 30/4/2020. The following nutritional targets were followed in all patients ⁃ start of enteral nutrition within 24/48 hours ⁃ protein target> = 1.3 g / kg ⁃ Caloric target 20/25 kcal / kg ⁃ Use of enteral mixtures rich in whey protein ⁃ Daily monitoring of prealbumin Results We observed that the 95% of patients presented a significant increase in prealbumin values (figure1) All patients who achieved a prealbumin value > 20 during hospitalization in ICU had a lower mortality. When the protein target was achieved in 2/3 days the time under mechanical ventilation was reduced ( figure 2-3) Conclusion Although the data are hindered by the small number of patients, in our experience an adequate nutritional support that guarantees a rapid achievement of protein target, reduces ventilation time and mortality.