Evaluation of Energy and Protein Intakes and Clinical Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients: Cross-sectional Study

Introduction: Critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit are often hyper-metabolic, hyper-catabolic, and at malnutrition risk. This study aimed to evaluate the amount of energy and protein intake and its correlation with the required amount in critically ill patients. Methods: A total of 70 patients with critical conditions admitted to the ICU were eligible (age≥18 years and over a 3-day stay in ICU). Basic characteristics, medical history, and laboratory test results were extracted from the patient’s medical records. Anthropometric indicators and the APACHE II questionnaire were assessed. Patients’ energy and protein requirements were 25kcal/kg/day and 1.2g/kg/day, respectively. Results: The mean age in the target population was 57.69±20.81 years, and 48.6% were men. The mean actual energy intake was significantly lower than the requirement (531.27±365.40 vs. 1583.77±329.36 Kcal/day, P˂0.001). The mean actual protein intake was significantly lower than the requirement (14.94±18.33 vs. 74.11±17.89 gr/day, respectively, P˂0.001). Energy and protein provision to the patients had a growing trend over time. There was a significant reverse correlation between the age of patients and total lymphocyte count (r= -0.38, P=0.003). In addition, there was a significant reverse correlation between the Glasgow coma scale and mechanical ventilation duration (r=-0.49, P˂0.001). The lowest average energy and protein intake were in patients with poisoning. Conclusion: The energy and protein intake in critically ill patients is significantly less than recommended, requiring routine nutritional assessments.