Introduction:

cohort study to evaluate the association between the start time of nutrition with the days of invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) in patients with septic shock. Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a support that maintains the patient while the structural or functional injury for which it was indicated is corrected. Sepsis is a cause of diaphragmatic dysfunction, contributing to respiratory failure; however, few data are available on the interaction between sepsis and prolonged MV. Currently, although nutrition has been established as a mainstay of support and treatment in critically ill patients, the impact of this intervention is unclear.

Objective:

to verify the existence of the association between the start time of nutrition and the duration of IMV in patients with septic shock.

Material and methods:

a prolective cohort study was carried out in patients with septic shock and IMV was documented at the start of nutrition, this decision being independent of the study. Daily follow-up was given regarding the days that required IMV and the start of enteral or parenteral nutrition. Early nutrition is when it is started within the first 48 hours of admission to intensive care. Stata was used for statistical analysis in which χ2 tests and logistic regression were used.

Results:

131 patients with septic shock and IMV were included, 110 patients started early nutrition and 21 delayed nutrition. The average age was 69 years, 23% (31) of the total patients had diabetes mellitus (DM), presenting more frequently in the late nutrition group. Regarding severity, no difference was found between the two groups. The average duration with ventilation was two days, with a longer time in the late start of nutrition group (2 days vs 5 days, p = 0.012). However, when adjusting for logistic regression, no statistically significant difference was found (OR 0.13, CI 95% 0.14-1.17, p = 0.69).

Conclusions:

although nutrition is considered a necessary support pillar in all critical patients, according to our results, the start time does not directly affect the days of invasive mechanical ventilation.