Clinical Outcome Study of Critically-ill Septic Egyptian Patients given Taurine Supplemented Enteral Nutrition

Abstract

Background: Sepsis is a significant public health concern and is the main cause of death in surgical intensive care units (ICUs). Patients with sepsis have features consistent with immunosuppression. Taurine is rapidly emerging as one of the more interesting amines which has been reported to have immune-modulatory effect through its action on cytokines. Purpose: To determine the effect of using immune-enhancing enteral nutritional feed containing Taurine compared to Standard enteral nutritional feed on clinical outcomes of ICU septic population. Methods: This was a prospective, randomized, controlled study. The study included adult patients who were diagnosed with sepsis and stayed for more than 24 hours in the ICU while exclusion criteria were patients who received anti-inflammatory drugs or corticosteroids before admission and patients suffering from immunosuppressive illness. A total of 45 patients were randomly divided into 3 groups: Group 1: (n=15) received Standard Enteral Nutrition feed for two weeks, Group 2 (n=15) received Immune-Enhancing Enteral Nutrition feed containing 10 mg/kg/day of Taurine for two weeks and Group 3 (n=15) received Immune-Enhancing Enteral Nutrition feed containing 30 mg/kg/day of Taurine for two weeks. Parameters measured were levels of Interleukin-6, Interleukin-10, C-reactive protein and Total leukocyte count. Moreover the ICU length of stay was measured and the patients’ health related quality of life was assessed.