Evaluation of Calorie and Protein Intakes and Clinical Outcomes in Critically Ill Patients: Cross- sectional study

Abstract Background: Critically ill patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) are often hyper-metabolic and hyper-catabolic and at risk of malnutrition. This study aimed to evaluate the amount of energy and protein intake and its correlation with the required amount in critically ill patients. Method: Seventy patients with critical conditions who were admitted to ICU were eligible (age ≥18 years and over a 3-day stay in ICU). Basic characteristics, medical history, and laboratory test results were extracted from the patients' medical records. Anthropometric indices and APACHE II questionnaire were assessed by an expert nurse. The calorie and protein requirement of patients were considered 25 kcal/kg/day and 1.2 g/kg/day, respectively. Result: Mean age in the target population was 57.69 ± 20.81 years, and 48.6% were men. The mean actual energy intake was significantly lower than the requirement (531.27 ±365.40 vs. 1583.77 ± 329.36 Kcal/day, P˂0.001). The mean actual protein intake was significantly lower than the requirement (14.94 ±18.33 vs. 74.11 ± 17.89 gr/day respectively, P˂0.001). Patients had a growing trend in providing energy and protein over time. There is a significant reverse correlation between the age of patients and total lymphocyte count (r= -0.38, P=0.003). Also, there is a significant reverse correlation between the Glasgow coma scale and the duration of mechanical ventilation (r=-0.49, P˂0.001). The lowest average calorie and protein intake are in patients with poisoning. Conclusion: The amount of calorie and protein intake in critically ill patients is significantly less than the recommended amount, therefore, it is necessary to perform routine nutritional assessments.