Based on the currently available evidence, consisting of two relatively
small studies (one with moderate risk of bias and the other
with a high risk of bias), no firm conclusion can be made. There
may be a possible clinical benefit to high-carbohydrate enteral
feeds comparedwith high-fat enteral feeds in the treatment of burn
injuries: a reduced risk of pneumonia. The molecular and cellular
mechanisms by which this benefit may accrue remain unclear.
Based on the available evidence, one relatively small study with a
moderate risk of bias, patients receiving high-carbohydrate feeds
may spend less time undergoing mechanical ventilation than patients
receiving a high-fat enteral feeding regimen. Again, why this
may be the case is unclear.
While this review presents the currently available evidence, definitive
clinical guidelines on the optimal macronutrient composition
of enteral feeds in severely burned patients cannot be formulated
without further research.