Background: In critically ill patients, early enteral nutrition (EN) within 24 to 72 hours is recommended. Although
vasopressor-dependent shock after resuscitation is not a contraindication for EN initiation, feasibility and safety
of very early (within 6 hours) EN initiation soon after resuscitation are unknown.
Objective: To evaluate the feasibility, safety, tolerance, and adequacy of very EN delivery in critically ill patients
within 6 hours of intensive care unit (ICU) admission.
Material and methods: Prospectively collected data from a total of 308 medical and surgical patients admitted to
the ICU for at least 3 days were analyzed. The patients in whom EN was initiated within 6 hours of ICU admission
(n = 166) were compared with those in whom EN was initiated after 6 hours (n = 142). Comparisons were
m a de be t we e n g ro u ps i n th e pe rc e nt ag e of t ar ge t c al o ri e s a n d pr o te i ns d e l i ve r e d on da y 3 , pe r ce nt ag e s of
patients achieving target calories and proteins on day 3, incidence of feed intolerance, ICU length of stay (LOS),
hospital LOS, ICU/hospital discharge, and mortality.
Results: No significant differences were seen in percentage of calories (71.62% vs 71.83%; P = .09) and proteins
(71.85% vs 68.89%; P = .2) delivered on day 3 between patients receiving EN within 6 hours and after 6 hours
of admission. Similar number of patients achieved target calories (66.3% vs 67.6%; P = .8) and target proteins
(66.9% vs 62.7%; P = .5) on day 3 in both groups. There were no significant differences between the groups for
ICU LOS (11.41 days vs 11.72 days; P = .7) and hospital LOS (20.7 days vs 17.96 days; P =.1).Atotalof77.1%
pa ti e n ts we r e d i sc h a rg e d i n th e g r ou p i n wh om EN w as i n i ti a te d wi th i n 6 h ou r s a nd 6 7. 6 % pa ti e nt s we re
di s ch ar ge d i n th e gr ou p wh e re E N wa s i ni ti a te d af t e r 6 h ou r s ( P = . 07 ). T he m or t al i ty r a te wa s 22 . 9%
and 32. 4%, res pectiv ely ( P = .07 ), in these groups . Overal l inc idence of EN inter rupti on was 20 .13 % withou t
significant difference between the 2 groups (b 6hours,16.2%; N 6 hours, 24.7%; P =.087).
Conclusion: Initiation of EN within 6 hours of ICU admission is feasible and safe and can be implemented routinely
in all ICU patients.