Supervisors info:
Σταύρος Δημόπουλος, Εξωτερικός Συνεργάτης, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ, Επιβλέπων
Ανδρέας Καραμπίνης, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Σεραφείμ Νανάς, Καθηγητής, Ιατρική Σχολή, ΕΚΠΑ
Summary:
Introduction: In the cases of patients undergoing cardiac surgery, insufficient feeding of the patients is often observed, which ultimately leads to the exhaustion of defense mechanisms and metabolic reserves, resulting in comorbidity and dysfunction of many organs. For this reason, it is often necessary to feed these patients. The nutritional energy goal depends significantly on the feeding route as well as the type and method of feeding during the postoperative phase of hospitalization in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
Methodology: A prospective clinical observational study was carried out, which lasted from March 2019 to May 2019, and the population of the present study was the cardiac surgery patients of the Cardiac Surgery ICU of the Onassis KRC Center (OKK), while the sample consisted of 210 patients who met specific inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data were obtained from patient files, monitoring the type, duration, time of initiation of feeding, and caloric intake. The statistical analysis of the data of the present research was carried out using the statistical package SPSS v21.
Results: The results of the study showed that the day of initiation of feeding was day 2 and most of the sample received food through the mouth (Pos), while a few patients received enteral feeding (Pl) or a combination of these (Pos/Pl). In addition, target attainment remained unknown for the vast majority of patients. The types of feeding that were administered with greater frequency to the patients in the sample were liquid feeding and light feeding. The highest feeding prevalence was recorded on the 2nd day, while the lowest prevalence was recorded on the 1st and last 7th day. Moreover, male patients had a higher caloric target than female patients. Finally, it was found that between the subjects who received serum and those who did not, the latter patients presented a significantly higher caloric target, an earlier date of initiation of feeding, higher levels of daily caloric intake, and higher levels of carbohydrates and fats.
Conclusions: The present study showed that the day of initiation of feeding was day 2 and majority of the sample received food by mouth (Pos). Hydrate and light feeding were the types of feeding that were administered more frequently to the patients. Caloric goal achievement appeared to be related to patient gender, with men achieving a higher caloric goal than women. Patients who did not receive serum had a significantly higher caloric goal, earlier feeding initiation date, higher levels of daily caloric intake, and higher levels of carbohydrate and fat than did patients who received serum. In conclusion, conducting more studies in the future on the feeding of patients who have undergone cardiac surgery is considered necessary both to study the importance of feeding and to investigate the relationship between types of feeding, daily calorie intake and final outcome of patients.
Keywords:
Feeding, Enteral feeding, Caloric goal, Cardiac surgery, Muscle weakness, Intensive Care Unit, Hospital stay.
