Malnutrition is associated with poor clinical outcomes among hospitalized patients. However, studies linking malnutrition with poor clinical outcomes in the intensive care unit (ICU) often have conflicting findings due in part to the inappropriate diagnosis of malnutrition. We primarily aimed to determine whether malnutrition diagnosed by validated nutrition assessment tools such as the Subjective Global Assessment (SGA) or Mini Nutritional Assessment (MNA) is independently associated with poorer clinical outcomes in the ICU and if the use of nutrition screening tools demonstrate a similar association. PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Cochrane Library were systematically searched for eligible studies. Search terms included were synonyms of malnutrition, nutritional status, screening, assessment, and intensive care unit. Eligible studies were case‐control or cohort studies that recruited adults in the ICU; conducted the SGA, MNA, or used nutrition screening tools before or within 48 hours of ICU admission; and reported the prevalence of malnutrition and relevant clinical outcomes including mortality, length of stay (LOS), and incidence of infection (IOI). Twenty of 1168 studies were eligible. The prevalence of malnutrition ranged from 38% to 78%. Malnutrition diagnosed by nutrition assessments was independently associated with increased ICU LOS, ICU readmission, IOI, and the risk of hospital mortality. The SGA clearly had better predictive validity than the MNA. The association between malnutrition risk determined by nutrition screening was less consistent. Malnutrition is independently associated with poorer clinical outcomes in the ICU. Compared with nutrition assessment tools, the predictive validity of nutrition screening tools were less consistent.

Critical illness leads to significant metabolic alterations that should be considered when providing nutritional support. Findings from key randomized controlled trials (RCTs) indicate that underfeeding (<70% of energy expenditure [EE]) during the acute phase of critical illness (first 7 days of intensive care unit [ICU] admission) may not be harmful and could instead promote autophagy and prevent overfeeding in light of endogenous energy production. However, the optimal energy target during this period is unclear and full starvation is unlikely to be beneficial. There are limited data regarding the effects of prolonged underfeeding on clinical outcomes in critically ill patients, but recent studies show that oral food intake is suboptimal both in the ICU and following discharge to the acute care setting. It is hypothesized that provision of full nutrition (70-100% of EE) may be important in the recovery phase of critical illness (>7 days of ICU admission) for promoting recovery and rehabilitation; however, studies on nutritional intervention delivered from ICU admission through hospital discharge are needed. The aim of this review is to provide a narrative synthesis of the existing literature on metabolic alterations experienced during critical illness and the impact of underfeeding on clinical outcomes in the critically ill adult patient.© 2022 The Authors.

Our previous study in 2011 concluded that permissive underfeeding may improve outcomes in patients receiving parenteral nutrition therapy. This conclusion was tentative, given the small sample size. We conducted the present systematic review and trial sequential meta-analysis to update the status of permissive underfeeding in patients who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU).

The optimal calorie and protein intakes at the acute phase of severe critical illness remain unknown. We hypothesised that early calorie and protein restriction improved outcomes in these patients, compared with standard calorie and protein targets.The pragmatic, randomised, controlled, multicentre, open-label, parallel-group NUTRIREA-3 trial was performed in 61 French intensive care units (ICUs). Adults (≥18 years) receiving invasive mechanical ventilation and vasopressor support for shock were randomly assigned to early nutrition (started within 24 h after intubation) with either low or standard calorie and protein targets (6 kcal/kg per day and 0·2-0·4 g/kg per day protein vs 25 kcal/kg per day and 1·0-1·3 g/kg per day protein) during the first 7 ICU days. The two primary endpoints were time to readiness for ICU discharge and day 90 all-cause mortality. Key secondary outcomes included secondary infections, gastrointestinal events, and liver dysfunction. The trial is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03573739, and is completed.Of 3044 patients randomly assigned between July 5, 2018, and 8 Dec 8, 2020, eight withdrew consent to participation. By day 90, 628 (41·3%) of 1521 patients in the low group and 648 (42·8%) of 1515 patients in the standard group had died (absolute difference -1·5%, 95% CI -5·0 to 2·0; p=0·41). Median time to readiness for ICU discharge was 8·0 days (IQR 5·0-14·0) in the low group and 9·0 days (5·0-17·0) in the standard group (hazard ratio [HR] 1·12, 95% CI 1·02 to 1·22; p=0·015). Proportions of patients with secondary infections did not differ between the groups (HR 0·85, 0·71 to 1·01; p=0·06). The low group had lower proportions of patients with vomiting (HR 0·77, 0·67 to 0·89; p<0·001), diarrhoea (0·83, 0·73 to 0·94; p=0·004), bowel ischaemia (0·50, 0·26 to 0·95; p=0·030), and liver dysfunction (0·92, 0·86-0·99; p=0·032).Compared with standard calorie and protein targets, early calorie and protein restriction did not decrease mortality but was associated with faster recovery and fewer complications.French Ministry of Health.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Proteins are an essential part of medical nutrition therapy in critically ill patients. Guidelines almost universally recommend a high protein intake without robust evidence supporting its use.

This review has been developed following a panel discussion with an international group of experts in the care of patients with obesity in the critical care setting and focuses on current best practices in malnutrition screening and assessment, estimation of energy needs for patients with obesity, the risks and management of sarcopenic obesity, the value of tailored nutrition recommendations, and the emerging role of immunonutrition. Patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) increasingly present with overweight and obesity that require individualized nutrition considerations due to underlying comorbidities, immunological factors such as inflammation, and changes in energy expenditure and other aspects of metabolism. While research continues to accumulate, important knowledge gaps persist in recognizing and managing the complex nutritional needs in ICU patients with obesity. Available malnutrition screening and assessment tools are limited in patients with obesity due to a lack of validation and heterogeneous factors impacting nutrition status in this population. Estimations of energy and protein demands are also complex in patients with obesity and may include estimations based upon ideal, actual, or adjusted body weight. Evidence is still sparse on the role of immunonutrition in patients with obesity, but the presence of inflammation that impacts immune function may suggest a role for these nutrients in hemodynamically stable ICU patients. Educational efforts are needed for all clinicians who care for complex cases of critically ill patients with obesity, with a focus on strategies for optimal nutrition and the consideration of issues such as weight stigma and bias impacting the delivery of care.

Following the new ESPEN Standard Operating Procedures, the previous 2019 guideline to provide best medical nutritional therapy to critically ill patients has been shortened and partially revised. Following this update, we propose this publication as a practical guideline based on the published scientific guideline, but shortened and illustrated by flow charts. The main goal of this practical guideline is to increase understanding and allow the practitioner to implement the Nutrition in the ICU guidelines. All the items discussed in the previous guidelines are included as well as special conditions.Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Persistent critical illness is common in critically ill patients and is associated with vast medical resource use and poor clinical outcomes. This study aimed to define when patients with sepsis would be stabilized and transitioned to persistent critical illness, and whether such transition time varies between latent classes of patients.

Ongoing risk of death and poor functional outcomes are important consequences of prolonged critical illness. Characterizing the catabolic phenotype of prolonged critical illness could illuminate biological processes and inform strategies to attenuate catabolism. We aimed to examine if urea-to-creatinine ratio, a catabolic signature of prolonged critical illness, was associated with mortality after the first week of ICU stay.Reanalysis of multicenter randomized trial of glutamine supplementation in critical illness (REducing Deaths due to OXidative Stress [REDOXS]).Multiple adult ICUs.Adult patients admitted to ICU with two or more organ failures related to their acute illness and surviving to day 7.None.The association between time-varying urea-to-creatinine ratio and 30-day mortality was tested using Bayesian joint models adjusted for prespecified-covariates (age, kidney replacement therapy, baseline Sequential Organ Failure Assessment, dietary protein [g/kg/d], kidney dysfunction, and glutamine-randomization). From 1,021 patients surviving to day 7, 166 (16.3%) died by day 30. After adjustment in a joint model, a higher time-varying urea-to-creatinine ratio was associated with increased mortality (hazard ratio [HR], 2.15; 95% credible interval, 1.66-2.82, for a two-fold greater urea-to-creatinine ratio). This association persisted throughout the 30-day follow-up. Mediation analysis was performed to explore urea-to-creatinine ratio as a mediator-variable for the increased risk of death reported in REDOXS when randomized to glutamine, an exogenous nitrogen load. Urea-to-creatinine ratio closest to day 7 was estimated to mediate the risk of death associated with randomization to glutamine supplementation (HR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.04-1.38; p = 0.014), with no evidence of a direct effect of glutamine (HR, 0.90; 95% CI, 0.62-1.30; p = 0.566).The catabolic phenotype measured by increased urea-to-creatinine ratio is associated with increased risk of death during prolonged ICU stay and signals the deleterious effects of glutamine administration in the REDOXS study. Urea-to-creatinine ratio is a promising catabolic signature and potential interventional target.Copyright © by 2022 by the Society of Critical Care Medicine and Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

We sought to determine whether peaks in essential amino acid (EAA) concentration associated with intermittent feeding may provide anabolic advantages when compared with continuous feeding regimens in critical care.

Chronic critical illness (CCI) is common in intensive care units (ICUs) and is highly heterogeneous. We utilized urea-creatinine ratio (UCR) trajectories to develop and validate subphenotypes and reveal the heterogeneous treatment effects of medical nutrition therapy.This retrospective study included all CCI patients from three public critical care databases. Group-based trajectory modeling (GBTM) was applied to the UCR for subphenotype development and validation. A multivariate Cox regression model was used to assess the independent associations of these subphenotypes with mortality. Generalized estimation equations were used to reveal the potential heterogeneity in medical nutrition therapy between survivors and nonsurvivors in different subphenotypes.A total of 4047 CCI patients were divided into three subphenotypes on the basis of their UCR trajectories. Stable low subphenotype had a low UCR with a slight upwards trend, the youngest age, and the fewest comorbidities. Intermediate subphenotype was characterized by a medium UCR. Stable high subphenotype had a high UCR with a rapid increase and the highest ICU mortality (14.72 %), hospital mortality (36.20 %) and 28-day mortality (39.26 %) (p < 0.05). In the multivariate Cox regression with Stable low subphenotype as control, Stable high subphenotype had increased risks of hospitalization mortality (HR: 2.74; 95 % CI: 2.01-3.72; P < 0.001), 28-day mortality (HR: 3.20; 95 % CI: 2.36-4.34; P < 0.001) and ICU mortality (HR: 2.78; 95 % CI: 1.71-4.52; P < 0.001). In CCI patients, the dose of nutritional intake within 5 days after CCI diagnosis were greater in the survival group (P < 0.05), especially survivors in Intermediate and Stable high subphenotypes.We demonstrated that longitudinal UCR trajectories during the first 10 days of ICU admission serve as robust biomarkers for predicting CCI into three distinct subphenotypes to understand patient heterogeneity. For CCI patients, higher doses of enteral nutrition and protein intake after CCI diagnosis may improve prognosis, especially for patients in the subphenotypes with the higher baseline UCR values showing an upward trend and poorer prognosis. A prospective study is needed to validate these findings, inform practice and guide future research on personalized care.Copyright © 2025 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Muscle mass evaluation in ICU is crucial since its loss is related with long term complications, including physical impairment. However, quantifying muscle wasting with available bedside tools (ultrasound and bioimpedance analysis) must be more primarily understood. Bioimpedance analysis (BIA) provides estimates of muscle mass and phase angle (PA). The primary aim of this study was to evaluate muscle mass changes with bioimpedance analysis during the first 7 days after ICU admission. Secondary aims searched for correlations between muscular loss and caloric and protein debt.Patients with an expected ICU-stay ≥ 72 h and the need for artificial nutritional support were evaluated for study inclusion. BIA evaluation of muscle mass and phase angle were performed at ICU admission and after 7 days. Considering the difference between ideal caloric and protein targets, with adequate nutritional macronutrients delivered, we calculated the caloric and protein debt. We analyzed the potential correlation between caloric and protein debt and changes in muscle mass and phase angle.72 patients from September 1st to October 30th, 2019 and from August 1st to October 30th, 2021 were included in the final statistical analysis. Median age was 68 [59-77] years, mainly men (72%) admitted due to respiratory failure (25%), and requiring invasive mechanical ventilation for 7 [4-10] days. Median ICU stay was 8 [6-12] days. Bioimpedance data at ICU admission and after 7 days showed that MM and PA resulted significantly reduced after 7 days of critically illness, 34.3 kg vs 30.6 kg (p < 0.0001) and 4.90° vs 4.35° (p = 0.0004) respectively. Mean muscle loss was 3.84 ± 6.7 kg, accounting for 8.4% [1-14] MM reduction. Correlation between caloric debt (r = 0.14, p = 0.13) and protein debt (r = 0.18, p = 0.13) with change in MM was absent. Similarly, no correlation was found between caloric debt (r = -0.057, p = 0.631) and protein debt (r = -0.095, p = 0.424) with changes in PA.bioimpedance analysis demonstrated that muscle mass and phase angle were significantly lower after 7 days in ICU. The total amount of calories and proteins does not correlate with changes in muscle mass and phase angle.© 2024. The Author(s).

Muscle wasting results in weakness for patients with critical illness. We aim to explore ultrasound-derived rates of change in skeletal muscle in the intensive care unit (ICU) and following discharge to the post-ICU ward.Post hoc analysis of a multicentre randomised controlled trial of functional-electrical stimulated cycling, recumbent cycling, and usual care delivered in intensive care.Participants underwent ultrasound assessment of rectus femoris at ICU admission, weekly in the ICU, upon awakening, ICU discharge, and hospital discharge. The primary outcome was rate of change in rectus femoris cross-sectional area (ΔRF) in mm/day in the ICU (enrolment to ICU discharge) and in the post-ICU ward (ICU discharge to hospital discharge). Secondary outcomes included rate of change in echo intensity (ΔEI), standard deviation of echo intensity (ΔEI), and the intervention effect on ultrasound measures. Echo intensity is a quantitative assessment of muscle quality. Elevated echo intensity may indicate fluid infiltration, adipose tissue, and reduced muscle quality.154 participants were included (mean age: 58 ± 15 years, 34% female). Rectus femoris cross-sectional area declined in the ICU (-4 mm/day [95% confidence interval {CI}: -9 to 1]) and declined further in the ward (-9 mm/day [95% CI: -14 to -3]) with a mean difference between ICU and ward of -5 mm/day ([95% CI: -2, to 11]; p = 0.1396). There was a nonsignificant difference in ΔEI between in-ICU and the post-ICU ward of 1.2 ([95% CI: -0.1 to 2.6]; p = 0.0755), a statistically significant difference in ΔEI between in-ICU and in the post-ICU ward of 1.0 ([95% CI, 0.5 to 1.5]; p = 0.0003), and no difference in rate of change in rectus femoris cross-sectional area between groups in intensive care (p = 0.411) or at hospital discharge (p = 0.1309).Muscle wasting occurs in critical illness throughout the hospital admission. The average rate of loss in muscle cross-sectional area does not slow after ICU discharge, even with active rehabilitation.Copyright © 2024 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Patients with critical illness can lose more than 15% of muscle mass in one week, and this can have long-term detrimental effects. However, there is currently no synthesis of the data of intensive care unit (ICU) muscle wasting studies, so the true mean rate of muscle loss across all studies is unknown. The aim of this project was therefore to systematically synthetise data on the rate of muscle loss and to identify the methods used to measure muscle size and to synthetise data on the prevalence of ICU-acquired weakness in critically ill patients.

Malnutrition is a frequent complication in critically ill patients and is associated with adverse outcomes. Early and accurate assessment of nutritional status is essential but remains challenging in the ICU setting. Prealbumin is commonly used as a biochemical marker, while muscle ultrasound offers a non-invasive, bedside alternative for evaluating muscle mass and function.To evaluate the correlation between serum prealbumin levels and sonographic measurements of the quadriceps muscle in critically ill patients, and to determine their combined utility in identifying nutritional risk.A prospective, longitudinal, and analytical study was conducted over seven months in the ICU of a tertiary care hospital in Mexico. Fifty-six patients were included. Serum prealbumin levels and quadriceps muscle ultrasound measurements-anteroposterior (AP) and laterolateral (LL) diameters, cross-sectional area (CSA), and the Heckmatt scale-were obtained on admission (day 0) and on day 5 of ICU stay. Nutritional intake was documented, and muscle wasting was estimated as the percentage change in LL diameter. Data were analyzed using correlation tests, multiple linear regression, Cox regression, and ROC curve analysis.Prealbumin levels decreased significantly by day 5 (Δ = -6.56 ± 5.5 mg/dL, p < 0.0001). At admission, LL and AP diameters showed weak to moderate correlations with prealbumin (r = 0.380 (p = 0.004) and r = 0.336 (0.011), respectively), while CSA showed a modest correlation (r = 0.271, p = 0.043). On day 5, prealbumin correlated moderately with LL diameter, CSA, and percentage of muscle wasting. A strong correlation was observed between Δ prealbumin and Δ LL diameter (r = 0.631, p < 0.0001). Multiple regression identified muscle wasting as the only significant predictor of prealbumin levels at day 5. ROC analysis revealed that AP and LL diameters at admission significantly predicted early nutritional compromise.Sonographic evaluation of the quadriceps muscle correlates with serum prealbumin levels in critically ill patients and provides a feasible, non-invasive method for early nutritional assessment. Combined use of both tools may improve the detection of malnutrition, allowing timely intervention and potentially enhancing clinical outcomes.© 2025. The Author(s).

Enteral nutrition (EN) is often held in patients receiving vasopressor support for septic shock. The rationale for this practice is to avoid mesenteric ischemia. The objective of this study is to evaluate the tolerability of EN in patients with septic shock who require vasopressor support and determine factors associated with tolerance of EN.This was a single-center retrospective review of adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit with a diagnosis of septic shock and an order for EN. The primary outcome was EN tolerance. Secondary outcomes included time to initiation of EN from the start of vasopressor(s), length of stay, and mortality.A total of 120 patients were included. Sixty-two percent of patients tolerated EN. The most common reason for intolerance of EN was gastric residuals > 250 mL (74%). No reports of mesenteric ischemia were observed. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that patients with septic shock initiating EN within 48 hours and receiving norepinephrine-equivalent doses of 0.14 μg/kg/min or less were more likely to tolerate EN.Based on our observation, early EN may be tolerated and safely administered in patients with septic shock who are adequately fluid resuscitated and receive doses of < 0.14 μg/kg/min of norepinephrine equivalents.

Introduction: Critically ill patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are at high risk of malnutrition, which can result in muscle atrophy, polyneuropathy, increased mortality, or prolonged hospitalizations with complications and higher costs during the recovery period. They often develop ICU-acquired weakness, exacerbated by sepsis, immobilization, and drug treatments, leading to rapid muscle mass loss and long-term complications. Studies indicate that adequate protein and calorie intake can decrease mortality and improve prognosis and recovery. However, optimal implementation remains a critical challenge. Objectives: This narrative review aims to summarize recent advances in nutritional strategies for critically ill patients. It highlights the benefits and limitations of current approaches including enteral (EN) and parenteral nutrition (PN) and examines their impact on clinical outcomes and overall mortality. Additionally, the review explores the emerging role of precision nutrition in critical care using technologies such as metabolomics and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide valuable insights into optimizing nutritional care in critically ill patients. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify recent studies, clinical guidelines, and expert consensus papers on nutritional support for ICU patients. The investigation focused on critical aspects such as the optimal timing for intervention, the route of administration, specific protein and energy targets, and technological innovations to support personalized nutrition, ensuring that each patient receives tailored support based on their unique needs. Results: Guidelines recommend initiating EN or PN nutrition within the first 48 h of admission, using indirect calorimetry (IC) to estimate energy needs, and supplementing protein up to 1.2 g/kg/day after stabilization. IC has gained importance in assessing energy needs but is still underused in the ICU. EN is preferred because it maintains intestinal integrity, reduces the risk of infections, and is recommended within the first 48 h of ICU admission. PN is used when EN is infeasible, but it increases the risk of infection. By integrating metabolomics with transcriptomic and genomic data, we can gain a deeper understanding of the effect of nutrition on cellular homeostasis, facilitating personalized treatments and enhancing the recovery of critically ill patients. Conclusions: AI is becoming increasingly important in monitoring and evaluating artificial nutrition, providing a more accurate and efficient alternative to traditional methods. AI can assist in identifying and managing malnutrition and is effective for estimating caloric and nutrient intake. AI minimizes human error, enables continuous monitoring, and integrates various data sources. The nutritional care of critically ill patients requires collaboration among specialists from diverse fields, including physicians, nutritionists, pharmacists, radiologists, IT experts, and policymakers.

The appropriate strategy for enteral feeding in critically ill patients still remains controversial. Therefore, we conducted this meta-analysis to compare the effect of intermittent versus continuous enteral feeding method for critically ill patients.

Tumour rupture of gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) has been considered to be a remarkable risk factor because of its unfavourable impact on the oncological outcome. Although tumour rupture has not yet been included in the current tumor-node-metastasis classification of GISTs as a prognostic factor, it may change the natural history of a low-risk GIST to a high-risk GIST. Originally, tumour rupture was defined as the spillage or fracture of a tumour into a body cavity, but recently, new definitions have been proposed. These definitions distinguished from the prognostic point of view between the major defects of tumour integrity, which are considered tumour rupture, and the minor defects of tumour integrity, which are not considered tumour rupture. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that the risk of disease recurrence in R1 patients is largely modulated by the presence of tumour rupture. Therefore, after excluding tumour rupture, R1 may not be an unfavourable prognostic factor for GISTs. Additionally, after the standard adjuvant treatment of imatinib for GIST with rupture, a high recurrence rate persists. This review highlights the prognostic value of tumour rupture in GISTs and emphasizes the need to carefully take into account and minimize the risk of tumour rupture when choosing surgical strategies for GISTs.

Background and Aim: Feeding interruptions in critical care patients are often unjustified. We aimed to determine the causes, duration, and frequency of enteral nutrition interruptions (ENIs) and to assess macronutrients and antioxidant deficits according to European Society of Parenteral Enteral Nutrition (ESPEN) guidelines. Methods: We prospectively enrolled Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients admitted for more than 48 h with an inability to orally eat from April to December 2019. The type of enteral nutrition, the number of calories administered, the time of feeding initiation, the reasons for delaying feeding, and the causes for ENI were recorded. Results: 81 patients were enrolled, with a median duration of ENIs of 5.2 (3.4–7.4) hours/day. Gastric residual volume (GRV) monitoring—a highly controversial practice—was the most common cause of ENI (median duration 3 (2.3–3) hours/day). The mean energy intake was 1037 ± 281 kcal/day, while 60.5% of patients covered less than 65% of the total energy needs (1751 ± 295 kcal/day, according to mean Body Mass Index (BMI)). The median daily protein intake did not exceed 0.43 ± 0.3 gr/kg/day of the actual body weight (BW), whereas ESPEN recommends 1.3 gr/kg/day for adjusted BW (p < 0.001). The average administration of micronutrients and antioxidants (arginine, selenium, zinc, vitamins) was significantly less than the dietary reference intake (p < 0.01). Conclusion: ENIs lead to substantial caloric, protein, and antioxidant deficits.

There are many controversies over the necessity of monitoring gastric residual volume in the nursing care of enteral nutrition. We aimed to conduct an updated meta‐analysis to evaluate the effects of monitoring or not monitoring gastric residual volume on patients' outcomes and complications.

This systematic review aims to evaluate and summarise the findings of all relevant studies which identified the effect of early vs delayed parenteral nutrition (PN), early PN vs early supplemental PN and early PN vs standard care for critically ill adults.

Some critically ill patients completely rely on parenteral nutrition (PN), which often cannot provide sufficient energy/amino acids. We investigated the relationship between PN doses of energy/amino acids and clinical outcomes in a retrospective cohort study using a medical claims database (≥10.5 years, from Japan, and involving 20,773 adult intensive care unit (ICU) patients on mechanical ventilation and exclusively receiving PN). Study patients: >70 years old, 63.0%; male, 63.3%; and BMI < 22.5, 56.3%. Initiation of PN: third day of ICU admission. PN duration: 12 days. In-hospital mortality: 42.5%. Patients were divided into nine subgroups based on combinations of the mean daily doses received during ICU days 4–7: (1) energy (very low <10 kcal/kg/day; low ≥10, <20; and moderate ≥20); (2) amino acids (very low <0.3 g/kg/day; low ≥0.3, <0.6; and moderate ≥0.6). For each subgroup, adjusted odds ratios (AORs) of in-hospital mortality with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated by regression analysis. The highest odds of mortality among the nine subgroups was in the moderate calorie/very low amino acid (AOR = 2.25, 95% CI 1.76–2.87) and moderate calorie/low amino acid (AOR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.36–2.08) subgroups, meaning a significant increase in the odds of mortality by between 68% and 125% when an amino acid dose of <0.6 g/kg/day was prescribed during ICU days 4–7, even when ≥20 kcal/kg/day of calories was prescribed. In conclusion, PN-dependent critically ill patients may have better outcomes including in-hospital mortality when ≥0.6 g/kg/day of amino acids is prescribed.

Personalization of ICU nutrition is essential to future of critical care. Recommendations from American/European guidelines and practice suggestions incorporating recent literature are presented. Low-dose enteral nutrition (EN) or parenteral nutrition (PN) can be started within 48 h of admission. While EN is preferred route of delivery, new data highlight PN can be given safely without increased risk; thus, when early EN is not feasible, provision of isocaloric PN is effective and results in similar outcomes. Indirect calorimetry (IC) measurement of energy expenditure (EE) is recommended by both European/American guidelines after stabilization post-ICU admission. Below-measured EE (~ 70%) targets should be used during early phase and increased to match EE later in stay. Low-dose protein delivery can be used early (~ D1-2) (< 0.8 g/kg/d) and progressed to ≥ 1.2 g/kg/d as patients stabilize, with consideration of avoiding higher protein in unstable patients and in acute kidney injury not on CRRT. Intermittent-feeding schedules hold promise for further research. Clinicians must be aware of delivered energy/protein and what percentage of targets delivered nutrition represents. Computerized nutrition monitoring systems/platforms have become widely available. In patients at risk of micronutrient/vitamin losses (i.e., CRRT), evaluation of micronutrient levels should be considered post-ICU days 5–7 with repletion of deficiencies where indicated. In future, we hope use of muscle monitors such as ultrasound, CT scan, and/or BIA will be utilized to assess nutrition risk and monitor response to nutrition. Use of specialized anabolic nutrients such as HMB, creatine, and leucine to improve strength/muscle mass is promising in other populations and deserves future study. In post-ICU setting, continued use of IC measurement and other muscle measures should be considered to guide nutrition. Research on using rehabilitation interventions such as cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPET) to guide post-ICU exercise/rehabilitation prescription and using anabolic agents such as testosterone/oxandrolone to promote post-ICU recovery is needed.

Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Although fish oil has been used as an immunonutritional preparations for the treatment of sepsis patients, there is still controversy as to whether it is beneficial to them. We systematically reviewed published clinical trial data to evaluate the effectiveness of fish oil-containing nutrition supplementation in sepsis patients.

Nutrition therapy is important in the management of critically ill patients and is continuously evolving as new evidence emerges. The Japanese Critical Care Nutrition Guideline 2024 (JCCNG 2024) is specific to Japan and is the latest set of clinical practice guidelines for nutrition therapy in critical care that was revised from JCCNG 2016 by the Japanese Society of Intensive Care Medicine. An English version of these guidelines was created based on the contents of the original Japanese version. These guidelines were developed to help health care providers understand and provide nutrition therapy that will improve the outcomes of children and adults admitted to intensive care units or requiring intensive care, regardless of the disease. The intended users of these guidelines are all healthcare professionals involved in intensive care, including those who are not familiar with nutrition therapy. JCCNG 2024 consists of 37 clinical questions and 24 recommendations, covering immunomodulation therapy, nutrition therapy for special conditions, and nutrition therapy for children. These guidelines were developed in accordance with the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) system by experts from various healthcare professionals related to nutrition therapy and/or critical care. All GRADE-based recommendations, good practice statements (GPS), future research questions, and answers to background questions were finalized by consensus using the modified Delphi method. Strong recommendations for adults include early enteral nutrition (EN) within 48 h and the provision of pre/synbiotics. Weak recommendations for adults include the use of a nutrition protocol, EN rather than parenteral nutrition, the provision of higher protein doses, post-pyloric EN, continuous EN, omega-3 fatty acid-enriched EN, the provision of probiotics, and indirect calorimetry use. Weak recommendations for children include early EN within 48 h, bolus EN, and energy/protein-dense EN formulas. A nutritional assessment is recommended by GPS for both adults and children. JCCNG 2024 will be disseminated through educational activities mainly by the JCCNG Committee at various scientific meetings and seminars. Since studies on nutritional treatment for critically ill patients are being reported worldwide, these guidelines will be revised in 4 to 6 years. We hope that these guidelines will be used in clinical practice for critically ill patients and in future research.© 2025. The Author(s).