Effect of Medium Chain Triglyceride formula Enteral Feeding versus Standard Formula on the Outcome of Pediatric ICU Patients

Abstract

Malnutrition affects 50% if hospitalized children and 25-70% of critically ill children. Enteral tube feeding is generally considered the preferred modality for critically ill pediatric patients until there’s no contraindication. Early enteral feeding improves the caloric intake and the protein balance and decreases the mortality when compared with delayed feeding (more than 48 hours) after admission. The aim of the current study to compare the effect of medium chain triglyceride formula enteral feeding versus standard formula on the outcome of pediatric ICU patients. This study was conducted on 60 critically ill patients: - Group I: 30 patients received standard formula - Group II: 30 patients received medium chain triglyceride formula. All patients included in this study were subjected to: a) Full medical history (information on demographic variables including patient age and gender), anthropometric measures (weight – height – Mid arm circumference – skin fold thickness) at time of admission. b) Pediatric subjective global nutritional assessment was done to all patients. c) PRISM score was calculated for all patients in this study. d) Calculation of resting energy expenditure (kcal) according to schofield based on age and weight. e) Calculation of nutritional needs of the patients. f) Gastroinestinal tract tolerance symptoms was observed during feeding. g) Outcome measures was observed: weight at discharge, length of ICU state, days of mechanical ventilation, days of sepsis, gastrointestinal tract tolerance and mid arm circumference at discharge. Our results revealed that: Medium chain triglyceride formula enteral feeding is better than standard formula enteral in critically ill pediatric patients as regards gastrointestinal tract tolerance also it decreases days of sepsis and improves weight gain during admission in ICU. Early enteral feeding decreases days of sepsis, days of mechanical ventilation and length of stay in the ICU.