Nutritional support in the critically ill patients. A critical review of the evidence.

Providing nutritional support has become a standard component of managing critically ill patients. While many studies have documented that providing nutritional support can change nutritional outcomes (e.g., amino acid profile, weight gain, nitrogen balance), data are lacking that demonstrate that nutrition actually influences clinically importance endpoints. This article systematically reviews and critically appraises the literature, examining the relationship between nutritional support and infectious morbidity and mortality in the critically ill patient. In addition, evidence-based recommendations are made.