Comparisons between short-peptide formula and intact-protein formula for early enteral nutrition initiation in patients with acute gastrointestinal injury: a single-center retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND

Early enteral nutrition (EN) in critically ill patients is important and most of them have suffered acute gastrointestinal injury (AGI). In this study, we investigated the influence of short-peptide EN formula and intact-protein EN formula on the prognosis of patients with AGI grades I-II to provide some guidance.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was performed. The primary outcomes were the percentage of EN calories (25 kcal/kg/d) and protein (1.2 g/kg/d) on the 3rd and 7th days of intensive care unit (ICU) admission, EN percent elevation in calories and protein on days 3-7, and the incidence of gastric retention and diarrhea after EN administration. Secondary outcomes included ICU and 28-day mortality, length of ICU stay, total hospitalization cost, and ventilator-free days. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify factors associated with gastric retention and diarrhea. And we used Kaplan-Meier survival curves to compare 28-day mortality rates between the two groups.

RESULTS

There were no statistically significant differences in ICU and 28-day mortality, ICU length of stay, total hospitalization cost, or ventilator-free days in the short-peptide formula group compared with the intact-protein formula group. Kaplan-Meier survival curves of 28-day mortality also showed no statistically significant difference. The EN percent elevation in calories and protein on days 3-7 in the short-peptide formula group was significantly higher than the intact-protein formula group (48% 38%, P=0.03 and 37% 38%, P=0.04, respectively). For gastrointestinal (GI) adverse events, the incidence of gastric retention (15.5% 29.8%, P=0.03) and diarrhea (8.5% 19.8%, P=0.04) were lower in the short-peptide group. In the multivariate-adjusted model, the use of short-peptide formula was the only independent variable of reduction in gastric retention and diarrhea [HR =0.469 (95% CI: 0.239-0.922), P=0.028; and HR =0.394 (95% CI: 0.161-0.965), P=0.041, respectively].

CONCLUSIONS

Short-peptide formula is more easily tolerated by patients in the acute phase of AGI and can quickly achieve nutritional goals by EN provision, making it the preferred formula for the initiation of EN in the acute phase of AGI.