Abstract

SAVINO, Patricia  and  PATINO, José Félix. Metabolism and nutrition in the critically ill patient. rev. colomb. cir. [online]. 2016, vol.31, n.2, pp.108-127. ISSN 2011-7582.

The mode of nutritional support in the critically ill patient is controversial. Some authors consider caloric demand as the main objective of nutritional support based on a supposed high level of hypermetabolism, but we have demonstrated that such really does not exist, and that protein requirement should be primarily addressed for hypercatabolism as the predominant metabolic feature. Hormonal and humoral environment in the critically ill state lead to body protein degradation to attend the caloric requirements and the synthesis of acute phase proteins. In the critical condition there is a kind of dependence from amino acid and protein metabolism. Different authors remark that the protein requirement can reach 2.0 to 3.0 g/kg/d, in patients with severe sepsis, major trauma, extensive burns, and even on those on renal replacement therapy. The overall conditions of the patient in the state of acute stress make it difficult to conduct prospective randomized trials. Different variables affect the outcome, such as the current nutritional status of the patient, the elapsed time of fasting or starvation, age, basal and concurrent pathologies, number of organs involved, and the presence of infection. Characteristic of the acute stress condition is the liability and variability of the pathophysiologic parameters. The Surgical Metabolism and Nutrition Support Service at Hospital Universitario Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá has recognized for many years the importance of the protein supply concomitant with reduced caloric intake from carbohydrates to no more than 600 kcal/24 hours (150-200 g/24h) as the foundation for the prescription of any type of nutritional support in the critical state. In this article we review the reasons that lead to consider protein as the key nutrient in patients in critical condition.

Keywords : diet; food; and nutrition; critical care; energy metabolism; caloric restriction; parenteral nutrition; enteral nutrition.

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