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Protein Intake in Critically Ill Adults

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Diet and Nutrition in Critical Care

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Abstract

Loss of lean tissue appears to be a normal part of critical illness, but can profoundly affect the patient’s outcome, demanding careful attention to the nutritional prescription including protein intakes in particular. However, nutrient intake recommendations in the intensive care setting are based on low levels of evidence. Protein requirements, in particular, are difficult to define due to the multiplicity of confounding factors (including energy intake) as well as, in the critically ill, the metabolic alterations that occur in trauma, sepsis, and inflammation. In general, studies seem to suggest that there is little difference between outcomes with protein intakes of 1.1–2.2 g per kilogram body weight, and below this level may not be ideal. However, the limited availability of high-level evidence, and the significant heterogeneity within the critical care population, indicates a need for further research. Identifying parameters with which to monitor a patient’s nutritional progress might be even more valuable, enabling an individualized prescription to be adjusted according to the patient’s condition. Methods in current use, such as anthropometric measures, tests of muscle function, and laboratory parameters, all have significant limitations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Critical Care Dietitian, Intensive Care Service, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia

    Suzie Ferrie

  2. Human Nutrition Unit, School of Molecular Bioscience, University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia

    Suzie Ferrie & Samantha Rand

Authors
  1. Suzie Ferrie
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  2. Samantha Rand
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Suzie Ferrie .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Free London Hospitals, Barnet General Hospital, London, UK

    Rajkumar Rajendram

  2. Division of Diabetes & Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK

    Rajkumar Rajendram

  3. King Khalid University Hospital, King Saud University Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

    Rajkumar Rajendram

  4. Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Division of Diabetes & Nutritional Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King’s College London, London, UK

    Victor R. Preedy

  5. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Science & Technology, University of Westminster, London, UK

    Vinood B. Patel

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Ferrie, S., Rand, S. (2015). Protein Intake in Critically Ill Adults. In: Rajendram, R., Preedy, V.R., Patel, V.B. (eds) Diet and Nutrition in Critical Care. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7836-2_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-7836-2_4

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