| Abstract |
New research suggests that the inflammatory response in conditions such as acute lung injury (ALI) and adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) can be modulated with specific dietary nutrients such as omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and antioxidants such as vitamins A, C, and E. The specific aim of this study was to extend the empirical knowledge of immunonutrition in patients with ALI or ARDS. This prospective, randomized, experimental study evaluated select nutritional and physiological responses during a course of enteral feeding in adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Subjects received a house stress formula (Ultracal), or Oxepa, the immune-modulated formula for ALI or ARDS. Response variables of albumin, prealbumin, volume of feeding received, percentage of caloric goal achieved, GI complications, energy expenditure, and inflammatory status were followed over a 7-day course of enteral feeding. Patient outcomes were obtained from the chart. Nineteen subjects were recruited for the study. Subject demographic information and baseline study variables were compared across the two groups using t tests for all continuous variables and chi-square tests for all categorical variables. Primary nutritional and physiological variables (nutritional intake, cytokine profiles, and ventilation variables) were analyzed using one-way ANOVA, repeated measures ANOVA, chi-square, Fischers exact test, and Wilcoxons rank sum test. |
