Comparison of nutritional effectiveness and complication rate between early nasojejunal and nasogastric tube feeding in patients with an intracerebral hemorrhage

Abstract BackgroundThis study aimed to compare nutritional effectiveness and complication rate between early nasojejunal and nasogastric tube feeding in patients with an intracerebral hemorrhage.MethodsEighty patients with an intracerebral hemorrhage were randomly divided into a nasojejunal and a nasogastric tube feeding group. Feeding tubes were placed within 6 hours after admission, and enteral feeding began within 2 hours after tube placement. The nutritional status and complication rate of the 2 groups were compared before and 2 and 4 weeks after beginning feeding.ResultsSerum prealbumin, serum albumin, and hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in the nasojejunal tube feeding group than in the nasogastric tube feeding group at 2 and 4 weeks after beginning feeding (all, p < 0.05). The incidence of gastric retention, pulmonary aspiration, and pneumonia were lower in the early nasojejunal tube feeding group than in the early nasogastric tube feeding group (all, p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of diarrhea between the 2 groups.ConclusionCompared with early nasogastric feeding, early nasojejunal feeding provides better nutritional effectiveness and a lower incidence of gastric retention, pulmonary aspiration, and pneumonia in patients with an intracerebral hemorrhage.#These authors contributed equally to this work.