ICU Nutrition Study Bern

Implementation of an Evidence-based Nutritional Management Protocol in Critically Ill Patients:Does Clinical Outcome Improve?

Nutritional treatment has become an essential component of the management of critically ill, due to better knowledge about positive impact of nutritional support. Malnutrition among ICU patients is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, length of stay (LOS) and therefore higher costs.Several studies however suggest, that early implementation of nutritional support is associated with improved clinical outcome, shorter LOS, and decreased infection rates. One of the objectives of this study is to determine if an nutrition protocol can improve the delivery of enteral tube feeding in the ICU.

Exclusion Criteria:

• <18 years of age
• stay less than 72 hours on ICU
• die within 72h after admission
• patients admitted for palliative care