They include the kind of admission (programmed or no), the diagnosis classified in high and low-risk, photomotor reflex, mechanical ventilation, blood pressure, base deficit and FiO2/PaO2 [ 12].
Timing is essential: Starting enteral nutrition within 24 hours in patients on mechanical ventilation is a very efficient way to reduce energy deficit [ 47].
Faisy et al. [ 22] demonstrated that early ICU energy deficit is an independent determinant for acquiring Staphylococcus aureus ventilation-associated pneumonia in patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation.
These consequences include but are not limited to longer duration of mechanical ventilation, longer intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, ventilator-associated complications and cognitive deficits, such as delirium and post traumatic stress disorder [ 3].
A greater energy and protein deficit was also associated with longer time receiving mechanical ventilation (OR per 100 kcal/day, p <0.001; Table 4).
We addressed an emerging area of research by studying mechanical ventilation experimentally in surgical mice to determine how the cognitive deficits expressed as POD happen.
The correlation coefficient of ICU length of stay (LOS) was -0.443 and -0.465, and of days on mechanical ventilation of alive patients was -0.338 and -0.392 for calorie and protein deficit, respectively (P < 0.001).
However, there were no correlations between any of the deficits and ICU length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, occurrence of infections and 28 days mortality.
Patients with major energy deficit are reported to have a longer ICU stay, prolonged mechanical ventilation and are more frequently exposed to nosocomial infections [ 3- 8].
Greater energy deficit, even after sensitivity analysis, was also associated with a longer time requiring mechanical ventilation.
