Retrospective study: Early parenteral nutrition linked to higher death in critically ill children

Source: Reuters Health Area: News According to a report in Reuters Health, a retrospective study of 2,069 patients aged one month to 18 years (mean age 5.3 years) who were admitted to a PICU and who received early parenteral nutrition (defined as 25% of goal calories delivered within the first 48 hours of admission) were associated with higher mortality. After adjustment for Paediatric Index of Mortality (PIM)-2 score and centre, children who received early parenteral nutrition were about twice as likely to die as those who did not (odds ratio 2.11, p=0.0002). Also, median length of stay was significantly longer for the children who received early parenteral nutrition (9.5 vs 6.7 days; p<0.0001). Similarly, children who received early parenteral nutrition and who required mechanical ventilation stayed on the ventilator longer (median 6.7 vs 4.9 days; p=0.009).
Source: NeLM - News - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news