PPT Slide
Results of literature review
Reference: Marik PE,.Zaloga GP. Early enteral nutrition in acutely ill patients: a systematic review. Crit Care Med 2001;29:2264-70.
Patients type / studies included: 15 studies involving 753 pts comparing early enteral (បhrs post-op) nutrition vs delayed enteral nutrition (ᡜhrs) in abdominal surgery, trauma, head injury and burns (1 study only)
Best Level of Evidence: Level II Internal validity score: 5 / 6
B2 - patients receiving early EN (បhrs post-op) had fewer infectious complications (eEN 19% vs. dEN 41%, p=0.00001)
B2 - length of hospital stay was significantly shorter with eEN (mean reduction of 2.2 days, p=0.0012)
Caveats:-each study used different definitions of infectious complications
-no differences were reported with respect to mortality (8% eEN vs. 11% dEN)