Rafael Barrera, MD, Director of the Surgical Intensive Care Unit at Long Island Jewish (LIJ) Medical Center in New York, warns that a highly negative energy balance can have negative consequences for the patient. Burning over 10,000 calories more than one takes in will result in that patient seeing an increase in the rate of infection and mortality; the patient will, on average, spend a longer time in the ICU. Therefore, Dr. Barrera recommends that hospitalists ensure that patients receive sufficient calories over the course of their hospital stay.

Reading:

Scurlock C, Mechanick JI. Early nutrition support in the intensive care unit: a US perspective. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2008 Mar;11(2):152-5.

Ilnytska O, Argyropoulos G. The role of the Agouti-Related Protein in energy balance regulation. Cell Mol Life Sci. 2008 Sep;65(17):2721-31.

Twyman D. Nutritional management of the critically ill neurologic patient. Crit Care Clin. 1997 Jan;13(1):39-49.

Sponsored by The Doctor’s Channel