The impact of parenteral nutrition support on nutrition care outcomes of hepatic encephalopathy patients in the intensive care unit

Abstract

ppropriate nutritional support for critically ill hepatic patients is considered a marker of quality in ICU care and is associated with improved patient outcome. Despite this knowledge, it has been reported that 40% of ICU patients might be malnourished, and the experience from ICUs internationally is that a substantial number of patients receive suboptimal nutrition. Use of protocols and nutrition support teams has been shown to decrease PN-associated complications. This prospective study was done on 76 hepatic encephalopathy patients with low tolerance or contraindications to enteral nutrition undergoing total parenteral nutrition starting from the day of admission and follow up until discharge from ICU or 14 days as a length of the study. 47 male patients and 39 female patients were suspected to the study with 53 patients older than 50 years and 23 patients younger than 50 years. All selected individuals were subjected to the following: • Full medical history taking. • Full Clinical Examination: • General examinations (GCS, Body Weight and BMI).