Abstract

MARGAIN-OJEDA, María Ximena et al. Correlation between energy consumption and intake in infants hospitalized in an intensive care unit. Bol. Med. Hosp. Infant. Mex. [online]. 2009, vol.66, n.1, pp.41-50. ISSN 1665-1146.

Introduction. An adequate feeding is essential in the management of critically ill infants. This study analyzes the association between total energy intake (TEI) and total energy consumption (TEC) of patients hospitalized in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) taking into account whether were born preterm (PT), received parenteral nutrition (PN), or underwent surgical treatment (ST). Methods. A cross-sectional design including 29 patients hospitalized in a NICU after hemodynamic and ventilatory stability was conducted. TEC was determined by indirect calorimetry and TEI by the summation of the energy administered by enteral and parenteral pathways. The statistical analysis included, Spearman correlation, U Mann-Whitney test, exact Fisher test, and multiple regression. Results. Fourteen patients were born PT, 21 underwent ST; 14 were under PN regime at the moment of the study and 63% were undernourished. TEI was higher in PT (P =0.022), PN (P =0.038), and ST (P =0.046) patients; TEC was greater only in PT infants (P =0.003). TEC correlated with TEI only in patients receiving enteral nutrition (r=0.518, P =046). TEI was inadequate in 85.1% of the patients. Conclusion. The amount of energy administered to patients hospitalized in the NICU is inadequate when it is estimated by standardized equations. We suggest determining TEC by indirect calorimetry at least in patients under total PN.

Keywords : Energy metabolism; energy; consumption; energy; intake; enteral nutrition; parenteral nutrition; indirect calorimetry; neonatal intensive care units.