Efficacy of an enteral feeding protocol for providing nutritional support after paediatric cardiac surgery

Are dietitian recommendations followed? A descriptive study of paediatric hospitalised and ambulatory patients

BACKGROUND

The primary objective of this cross-sectional retrospective study was to describe the implementation of dietitian prescribed nutrition recommendations in malnourished paediatric patients in the hospital and ambulatory settings. We also aimed to investigate other characteristics that could be associated with differences in implementation.

METHODS

Data were collected from 186 hospitalised and 565 ambulatory patients between February 2020 and January 2021. Data included age, hospital or ambulatory specialty departments, primary diagnosis, malnutrition status, hospital length of stay (LOS), and medical nutrition therapy recommendations. Implementation by the medical team in the hospital setting and adherence by the family in the outpatient setting were categorised as "Full", "Partial" or "None". "Partial" and "None" were combined for analysis.

RESULTS

Dietitian prescribed recommendations were implemented in 79.6% of hospitalised patients. In the ambulatory population, 46.4% of patients were adherent with nutrition recommendations. Within the hospital, there was a significant difference in implementation of nutrition recommendations based on age (p = 0.047), hospital department (p = 0.002) and LOS (p = 0.04), whereas, in the ambulatory population, there were no significant differences in the rate of adherence among any of the studied characteristics.

CONCLUSIONS

Dietitian recommendations are frequently implemented in the hospital, whereas adherence to such recommendations is poor in the outpatient population. Interventions to improve adherence to nutrition recommendations in the ambulatory setting are needed.

Nutrition for critically ill children with congenital heart disease

Children with congenital heart disease often require admission to the cardiac intensive care unit at some point in their lives, either after elective surgical or catheter-based procedures or during times of acute critical illness. Meeting both the macronutrient and micronutrient needs of children in the cardiac intensive care unit requires complex decision-making when considering gastrointestinal perfusion, vasoactive support, and fluid balance goals. Although nutrition guidelines exist for critically ill children, these cannot always be extrapolated to children with congenital heart disease. Children with congenital heart disease may also suffer unique circumstances, such as chylothoraces, heart failure, and the need for mechanical circulatory support, which greatly impact nutrition delivery. Guidelines for neonates and children with heart disease continue to be developed. We provide a synthesized narrative review of current literature and considerations for nutrition evaluation and management of critically ill children with congenital heart disease.

The Impact of Early Enteral Nutrition on Post-operative Hospital Stay and Complications in Infants Undergoing Congenital Cardiac Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Introduction: The congenital cardiac diseases (CHDs) are the leading cause of death in children. The CHDs detection and management have greatly improved over the past few decades. This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of early enteral nutrition (EEN) on postoperative outcomes in infants undergoing congenital cardiac surgery. Methods: Electronic databases PubMed, Clinical Key, UpToDate, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched for studies published in the English language, between 2004 and 2021. This review carried out based on PRISMA statement and studies qualities assessed using "Downs and Black score". Hospital stay, intensive care unit (ICU) stay, mechanical ventilation support, aortic cross clamping and cardiopulmonary bypass were as primary outcomes. Similarly infections, vomiting and mortality were as secondary outcomes of included studies. Results: This review consists of 887 infants from 10 studies. Of these, 470 infants were assigned to the intervention group and 417 to the control group. The post-operative hospital stay shorted in the EEN group than the control group (SMD=-0.63, 95% CI: -1.03 to -0.22, P=0.0, I²=87%). Similarly, EEN group lessen the ICU stay (SMD=-0.15, 95% CI: -0.42, 0.11, P=0.0, I²=71%), mechanical ventilation support (SMD=-0.31, 95% CI: -0.51, -08, P=0.08, I²=47%), aortic cross clamping (SMD=-0.92, 95% CI: -0.31, 2.4, P=0.00, I²=96%), and cardiopulmonary bypass (SMD=-0.0, 95% CI: -0.42 to 43, P=0.00, I²=71%). Secondary postoperative complications such as infections (RR=0.68, 95% CI: 0.43 to 1.08, P=0.40, I²=3%). vomiting (RR=1.47, 95% CI: 0.80 to 2.69, P=0.90, I²=0%) and postoperative mortality (RR=0.42, 95% CI: 0.03 to 5.82, P=0.00: I²=80%) significantly reduced. Conclusion: Postoperative outcomes were improved in the intervention group compared to the control group, including shorter hospital stays, ICU stays, mechanical ventilation, and less postoperative complications.

Improving nutrition practices for postoperative high-risk heart transplant and ventricular assist device implant patients in circulatory compromise: A quality improvement pre- and post-protocol intervention outcome study

BACKGROUND

Patients undergoing heart transplant (HT) and ventricular assist device (VAD) implant may experience intra- and postoperative complications requiring high-dose vasopressor agents and/or mechanical circulatory support. These complications increase the risk of nonocclusive bowel ischemia (NOBI) and inadequate enteral nutrition (EN) delivery, and guidance for this high-risk patient population is limited. To optimize nutrition support practices in this patient population at our institution, we created the High-Risk Nutrition Support Protocol (HRNSP) to improve nutrient delivery and promote safer EN practices in the setting of NOBI risk factors after HT and VAD implant.

METHODS

We developed and implemented a nutrition support protocol as a quality improvement (QI) initiative. Data were obtained before (n = 62) and after (n = 52) protocol initiation. We compared nutrition and clinical outcomes between the pre- and post-intervention groups.

RESULTS

Fewer calorie deficits (P < 0.001), fewer protein deficits (P < 0.001), a greater proportion of calorie/protein needs met (P < 0.001), zero NOBI cases (0%), and decreased intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay (LOS) (P = 0.005) were observed with 100% (n = 52 of 54) HRNSP implementation success. Increased use of parenteral nutrition did not increase central line-associated bloodstream infections (P = 0.46). There was no difference in hospital LOS (P = 0.44) or 90-day and 1-year mortality (P = 0.56, P = 0.35).

CONCLUSION

This single-center, QI pre- and post-protocol intervention outcome study suggests that implementing and adhering to a nutrition support protocol for VAD implant/HT patients with hemodynamic complications increases nutrient delivery and is associated with reduced ICU LOS and NOBI.

Gastrointestinal Complications in Critically Ill Children: Experience from A Resource-Limited Country

Objectives:

To determine the frequency and predictors of outcome of gastrointestinal complications (GIC) in critically ill children.

Methods:

This descriptive study was prospectively conducted in The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), The Aga Khan University Hospital (AKUH), Karachi, from September 2015 to January 2017. After obtaining approval from the Ethical Review Committee of AKUH and informed consent from the parents, all children (aged one month to 18 years), of either gender, admitted to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) during the study period were included. The frequency of the defined GIC: vomiting, high gastric residue volume (GRV), diarrhea, constipation, and gastrointestinal bleed were recorded daily for the first week of the PICU stay. The data was collected by the primary investigator on a predesigned data collection form with inclusion of variables and predictors in light of existing literature and local expertise. The questionnaire was shared with the Pediatric Critical Care Medicine faculty and a consensus was sought on the elements to be incorporated.

Results:

GIC developed within the first 48 hours of admission in 78 (41%) patients. Of the patients who developed GIC, 37 (47.4%) patients developed high GRV: 31 (39.7%) patients developed constipation, 18 (23.1%) patients developed vomiting, 14 (17.9%) patients developed abdominal distension. With regards to prevalence by occurrence, 32/78 (41%) of patients presented with two GI complications, followed by 21 patients (27%) who presented with a single GIC. Only 11 patients (14%) presented with more than three complications. Median length of stay was higher in patients with GIC (8 days) than with those who did not develop GIC (4 days). The frequency of gastrointestinal complications was significantly higher in children receiving mechanical ventilation, on sedatives and relaxants and those with multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and inotropes

Conclusion:

GI complications are a frequent occurrence in the PICU and are associated with worse clinical outcomes. The use of sedative drugs and the presence of shock with MODS were amongst the important contributing factors.

Surviving sepsis campaign international guidelines for the management of septic shock and sepsis-associated organ dysfunction in children

Objectives

To develop evidence-based recommendations for clinicians caring for children (including infants, school-aged children, and adolescents) with septic shock and other sepsis-associated organ dysfunction.

Design

A panel of 49 international experts, representing 12 international organizations, as well as three methodologists and three public members was convened. Panel members assembled at key international meetings (for those panel members attending the conference), and a stand-alone meeting was held for all panel members in November 2018. A formal conflict-of-interest policy was developed at the onset of the process and enforced throughout. Teleconferences and electronic-based discussion among the chairs, co-chairs, methodologists, and group heads, as well as within subgroups, served as an integral part of the guideline development process.

Methods

The panel consisted of six subgroups: recognition and management of infection, hemodynamics and resuscitation, ventilation, endocrine and metabolic therapies, adjunctive therapies, and research priorities. We conducted a systematic review for each Population, Intervention, Control, and Outcomes question to identify the best available evidence, statistically summarized the evidence, and then assessed the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. We used the evidence-to-decision framework to formulate recommendations as strong or weak, or as a best practice statement. In addition, “in our practice” statements were included when evidence was inconclusive to issue a recommendation, but the panel felt that some guidance based on practice patterns may be appropriate.

Results

The panel provided 77 statements on the management and resuscitation of children with septic shock and other sepsis-associated organ dysfunction. Overall, six were strong recommendations, 49 were weak recommendations, and nine were best-practice statements. For 13 questions, no recommendations could be made; but, for 10 of these, “in our practice” statements were provided. In addition, 52 research priorities were identified.

Conclusions

A large cohort of international experts was able to achieve consensus regarding many recommendations for the best care of children with sepsis, acknowledging that most aspects of care had relatively low quality of evidence resulting in the frequent issuance of weak recommendations. Despite this challenge, these recommendations regarding the management of children with septic shock and other sepsis-associated organ dysfunction provide a foundation for consistent care to improve outcomes and inform future research.

Standardized Perioperative Feeding Protocol Improves Outcomes in Patients With d-Transposition of the Great Arteries Undergoing Arterial Switch Operation

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether the presence of a standardized feeding protocol improves outcomes in a subset of neonates undergoing cardiac surgery.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Cardiovascular ICU at a freestanding academic children's hospital.

PATIENTS

Neonates with a diagnosis of d-transposition of the great arteries undergoing arterial switch operation from January 2007 to June 2017.

INTERVENTIONS

Initiation of perioperative feeding protocols.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS

Patients were evaluated before and after implementation of standardized perioperative feeding protocols in neonates with d-transposition of the great arteries undergoing arterial switch operation. Low-risk patients born after initiation of nurse-driven protocols were compared with a similar historical group. Data obtained included time to achievement of feeding goals, with primary outcome being weight gain at hospital discharge. Other measures analyzed included duration of mechanical ventilation and postoperative hospital length of stay. Overall, 33 patients in the protocol group were compared with 44 patients in the historical group. No significant baseline differences existed between the two cohorts. The protocol group achieved improved feeding outcomes in nearly all measured categories, including introduction to enteral feeds preoperatively (91% vs 59%; p < 0.01) and earlier attainment of postoperative full enteral feeds of 120 mL/kg/d (2 vs 5 d; p < 0.01). Protocol patients had significantly improved weight gain at the time of discharge (60 vs 1 g; p < 0.01), while achieving shorter postoperative length of stay (10.1 vs 12.6 d; p = 0.04).

CONCLUSIONS

An aggressive, but safe, perioperative feeding protocol implemented in a homogenous low-risk neonatal cardiac surgical population improves feeding outcomes, including increased weight gain, as well as decreased postoperative length of stay. Consideration for perioperative feeding protocol implementation and further study should be given.

Physicians' perceptions about managing enteral nutrition and the implementation of tools to assist in nutritional decision-making in a paediatric intensive care unit

BACKGROUND

For critically ill children hospitalised in paediatric intensive care units, adequate nutrition reduces their risk of morbidity and mortality. Barriers may impede optimal nutritional support in this population. Moreover, physicians are usually responsible for prescribing nutrition, although they are not experts. Therefore, tools may be used to assist in nutritional decision-making, such as nutrition protocols.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this two-stage qualitative study was to explore the perceptions of physicians about their management of enteral nutrition in a paediatric intensive care unit and the implementation of a nutrition protocol and computerised system.

METHODS

This study involved semistructured interviews with physicians at the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit of Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland. Research dietitians conducted interviews before (stage one) and after (stage two) the implementation of a nutrition protocol and computerised system. During stage one, six junior physicians and five fellows were interviewed. At stage two, 12 junior physicians, 12 fellows, and five senior physicians were interviewed. Interviews were recorded, with data transcribed verbatim before a thematic analysis using a framework method.

RESULTS

Three themes emerged from thematic analysis: "nutritional knowledge", "nutritional practices", and "resources to manage nutrition". During stage one, physicians, especially junior physicians, reported a lack of nutritional knowledge for critically ill children and stated that nutritional issues primarily depended on senior physicians, who themselves had various practices. All physicians were in favour of a nutrition protocol and computerised system. At stage two, interviewees stated that they used both tools regularly. They reported improved nutritional knowledge, more systematic and consistent nutritional practices, and increased attention to nutrition.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of a nutrition protocol and computerised system by a multiprofessional team helped physicians in the paediatric intensive care unit to manage nutritional support and increase their attention to nutrition.

Nutritional support for children during critical illness: European Society of Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPNIC) metabolism, endocrine and nutrition section position statement and clinical recommendations

Background

Nutritional support is considered essential for the outcome of paediatric critical illness. There is a lack of methodologically sound trials to provide evidence-based guidelines leading to diverse practices in PICUs worldwide. Acknowledging these limitations, we aimed to summarize the available literature and provide practical guidance for the paediatric critical care clinicians around important clinical questions many of which are not covered by previous guidelines.

Objective

To provide an ESPNIC position statement and make clinical recommendations for the assessment and nutritional support in critically ill infants and children.

Design

The metabolism, endocrine and nutrition (MEN) section of the European Society of Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care (ESPNIC) generated 15 clinical questions regarding different aspects of nutrition in critically ill children. After a systematic literature search, the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) grading system was applied to assess the quality of the evidence, conducting meta-analyses where possible, to generate statements and clinical recommendations, which were then voted on electronically. Strong consensus (> 95% agreement) and consensus (> 75% agreement) on these statements and recommendations was measured through modified Delphi voting rounds.

Results

The final 15 clinical questions generated a total of 7261 abstracts, of which 142 publications were identified relevant to develop 32 recommendations. A strong consensus was reached in 21 (66%) and consensus was reached in 11 (34%) of the recommendations. Only 11 meta-analyses could be performed on 5 questions.

Conclusions

We present a position statement and clinical practice recommendations. The general level of evidence of the available literature was low. We have summarised this and provided a practical guidance for the paediatric critical care clinicians around important clinical questions.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1007/s00134-019-05922-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Surviving Sepsis Campaign International Guidelines for the Management of Septic Shock and Sepsis-Associated Organ Dysfunction in Children

OBJECTIVES

To develop evidence-based recommendations for clinicians caring for children (including infants, school-aged children, and adolescents) with septic shock and other sepsis-associated organ dysfunction.

DESIGN

A panel of 49 international experts, representing 12 international organizations, as well as three methodologists and three public members was convened. Panel members assembled at key international meetings (for those panel members attending the conference), and a stand-alone meeting was held for all panel members in November 2018. A formal conflict-of-interest policy was developed at the onset of the process and enforced throughout. Teleconferences and electronic-based discussion among the chairs, co-chairs, methodologists, and group heads, as well as within subgroups, served as an integral part of the guideline development process.

METHODS

The panel consisted of six subgroups: recognition and management of infection, hemodynamics and resuscitation, ventilation, endocrine and metabolic therapies, adjunctive therapies, and research priorities. We conducted a systematic review for each Population, Intervention, Control, and Outcomes question to identify the best available evidence, statistically summarized the evidence, and then assessed the quality of evidence using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach. We used the evidence-to-decision framework to formulate recommendations as strong or weak, or as a best practice statement. In addition, "in our practice" statements were included when evidence was inconclusive to issue a recommendation, but the panel felt that some guidance based on practice patterns may be appropriate.

RESULTS

The panel provided 77 statements on the management and resuscitation of children with septic shock and other sepsis-associated organ dysfunction. Overall, six were strong recommendations, 52 were weak recommendations, and nine were best-practice statements. For 13 questions, no recommendations could be made; but, for 10 of these, "in our practice" statements were provided. In addition, 49 research priorities were identified.

CONCLUSIONS

A large cohort of international experts was able to achieve consensus regarding many recommendations for the best care of children with sepsis, acknowledging that most aspects of care had relatively low quality of evidence resulting in the frequent issuance of weak recommendations. Despite this challenge, these recommendations regarding the management of children with septic shock and other sepsis-associated organ dysfunction provide a foundation for consistent care to improve outcomes and inform future research.

The association between feeding protocol compliance and weight gain following high-risk neonatal cardiac surgery

BACKGROUND

Children with congenital heart disease are at high risk for malnutrition. Standardisation of feeding protocols has shown promise in decreasing some of this risk. With little standardisation between institutions' feeding protocols and no understanding of protocol adherence, it is important to analyse the efficacy of individual aspects of the protocols.

METHODS

Adherence to and deviation from a feeding protocol in high-risk congenital heart disease patients between December 2015 and March 2017 were analysed. Associations between adherence to and deviation from the protocol and clinical outcomes were also assessed. The primary outcome was change in weight-for-age z score between time intervals.

RESULTS

Increased adherence to and decreased deviation from individual instructions of a feeding protocol improves patients change in weight-for-age z score between birth and hospital discharge (p = 0.031). Secondary outcomes such as markers of clinical severity and nutritional delivery were not statistically different between groups with high or low adherence or deviation rates.

CONCLUSIONS

High-risk feeding protocol adherence and fewer deviations are associated with weight gain independent of their influence on nutritional delivery and caloric intake. Future studies assessing the efficacy of feeding protocols should include the measures of adherence and deviations that are not merely limited to caloric delivery and illness severity.

Malnutrition in Children With Chronic Disease

Malnutrition occurs when nutrient intake does not meet the needs for normal body functions and as a consequence leads to alterations of growth and development in children. Chronic illness puts children at risk for developing malnutrition. Because of children's rapid periods of growth and development, early diagnosis, prevention, and management of malnutrition are paramount. The reasons for malnutrition in children with chronic disease are multifactorial and are related to the underlying disease and non-illness-associated factors. This review addresses the causes, evaluation, and management of malnutrition in pediatric congenital heart disease, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, and cystic fibrosis.

A review of feeding intolerance in critically ill children

Ensuring optimal nutrition is vital in critically ill children and enteral feeding is the main route of delivery in intensive care. Feeding intolerance is the most commonly cited reason amongst pediatric intensive care unit healthcare professionals for stopping or withholding enteral nutrition, yet the definition for this remains inconsistent, nebulous, and entirely arbitrary. Not only does this pose problems clinically, but research in this field frequently uses feeding intolerance as an endpoint and the heterogeneity in this definition makes the comparison of studies difficult and meta-analysis impossible. We reviewed the use of, and definitions of, the term feed intolerance in pediatric intensive care research papers in the last 20 years. Gastric residual volume remains the most common factor used to define feed intolerance, despite the lack of evidence for this. Healthcare professionals would benefit from further education to improve their awareness of the limitations of the markers to define feeding intolerance, and the international PICU community needs to agree a consistent definition of this phenomenon to improve consistency in both practice and research.Conclusion: This paper will provide a narrative review of the definitions of, evidence for, and markers of feeding intolerance in critically ill children. What is Known?: • Feeding intolerance is a commonly cited reason amongst pediatric intensive care unit healthcare professionals for stopping or withholding enteral nutrition. • There is no agreed definition for feeding intolerance in critically ill children. What is New?: • This paper provides an up to date review of the definitions of, evidence for, and markers of feeding intolerance in critically ill children. • Despite no evidence, gastric residual volume continues to drive clinical bedside decisions about enteral feeding and feeding tolerance.

Nutrition Considerations in the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit Patient

Adequate caloric intake plays a vital role in the course of illness and the recovery of critically ill patients. Nutritional status and nutrient delivery during critical illness have been linked to clinical outcomes such as mortality, incidence of infection, and length of stay. However, feeding practices with critically ill pediatric patients after cardiac surgery are variable. The Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Society sought to provide an expert review on provision of nutrition to pediatric cardiac intensive care patients, including caloric requirements, practical considerations for providing nutrition, safety of enteral nutrition in controversial populations, feeding considerations with chylothorax, and the benefits of feeding beyond nutrition. This article addresses these areas of concern and controversy.

High-fibre enteral feeding results in improved anthropometrics and favourable gastrointestinal tolerance in malnourished children with growth failure

Aim

The practical value of using fibre‐enriched enteral feeding regimens to rehabilitate malnourished children remains inconclusive. This study determined the usage patterns, gastrointestinal tolerance, anthropometrics and safety of high‐fibre enteral feeding in malnourished children with growth failure.

Methods

This Turkish observational study between February 2013 and June 2015 comprised 345 paediatric patients from 17 centres with malnutrition‐related growth failure, with a weight and height of <2 SD percentiles for their age. Changes in anthropometrics, gastrointestinal symptoms, defecation habits and safety data relating to adverse events were analysed during the six‐month follow‐up period.

Results

Most subjects (99.7%) were supplemented with enteral feeding. The absolute difference and 95% confidence interval values for the Z scores of height for age, weight for age, weight for height and body mass index for height increased significantly in four months to six months to 0.21 (0.09–0.32), 0.61 (0.51–0.70), 0.81 (0.56–1.06) and 0.70 (0.53–0.86), respectively (p < 0.001 for each). The percentage of patients with normal defecation frequency significantly increased from 70.3% to 92.8% at the four months to six months visit (p = 0.004). Adverse events occurred in 15 (4.3%) of patients.

Conclusion

Using a six‐month high‐fibre enteral feeding was associated with favourable outcomes in anthropometrics, appetite, gastrointestinal tolerance and safety in malnourished children.

Evaluating the Impact of a Feeding Protocol in Neonates before and after Biventricular Cardiac Surgery

INTRODUCTION

Feeding difficulties and malnutrition are important challenges when caring for newborns with critical congenital heart disease (CCHD) without clear available guidelines for providers. This study describes the utilization of a feeding protocol with the focus on standardization, feeding modality, and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) utilization postoperatively.

METHODS

Patients included neonates with CCHD undergoing complex biventricular repair using cardiopulmonary bypass. Data were collected in 2013 preintervention and from 2015 to 2017 postintervention. The feeding protocol outlined guidelines for and postoperative use of TPN. Adverse outcomes data included rates of central line-associated bloodstream infections, necrotizing enterocolitis, chylothorax, and vocal cord dysfunction. Balance outcomes measured were weight for age Z-score at discharge, number of abdominal radiographs obtained, readmission within 90 days, and central venous line utilization.

RESULTS

We included a total of 121 neonates: 49 in the preintervention group and 72 in the postintervention group. The protocol standardized feeding practices in CCHD neonates undergoing surgery with improved compliance from 70% early in the study period to 90% at the end of the study. Infants were fed enterally more preoperatively (86% versus 67%; P = 0.023), reached a fluid goal sooner (63 hours versus 72 hours; P = 0.035), and postoperative duration of TPN usage was significantly shorter in the postintervention period (48 hours versus 62 hours; P = 0.041) with no increase in adverse outcome events or unintended consequences.

CONCLUSIONS

By implementing a feeding protocol, we reduced practice variation among providers, increased the number of patients fed enterally preoperatively and reduced postoperative use of TPN without increased complications.

Guidelines for the Provision and Assessment of Nutrition Support Therapy in the Pediatric Critically Ill Patient: Society of Critical Care Medicine and American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition

This document represents the first collaboration between two organizations, American Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition and the Society of Critical Care Medicine, to describe best practices in nutrition therapy in critically ill children. The target of these guidelines is intended to be the pediatric (> 1 mo and < 18 yr) critically ill patient expected to require a length of stay greater than 2 or 3 days in a PICU admitting medical, surgical, and cardiac patients. In total, 2,032 citations were scanned for relevance. The PubMed/Medline search resulted in 960 citations for clinical trials and 925 citations for cohort studies. The EMBASE search for clinical trials culled 1,661 citations. In total, the search for clinical trials yielded 1,107 citations, whereas the cohort search yielded 925. After careful review, 16 randomized controlled trials and 37 cohort studies appeared to answer one of the eight preidentified question groups for this guideline. We used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation criteria to adjust the evidence grade based on assessment of the quality of study design and execution. These guidelines are not intended for neonates or adult patients. The guidelines reiterate the importance of nutritional assessment, particularly the detection of malnourished patients who are most vulnerable and therefore potentially may benefit from timely intervention. There is a need for renewed focus on accurate estimation of energy needs and attention to optimizing protein intake. Indirect calorimetry, where feasible, and cautious use of estimating equations and increased surveillance for unintended caloric underfeeding and overfeeding are recommended. Optimal protein intake and its correlation with clinical outcomes are areas of great interest. The optimal route and timing of nutrient delivery is an area of intense debate and investigations. Enteral nutrition remains the preferred route for nutrient delivery. Several strategies to optimize enteral nutrition during critical illness have emerged. The role of supplemental parenteral nutrition has been highlighted, and a delayed approach appears to be beneficial. Immunonutrition cannot be currently recommended. Overall, the pediatric critical care population is heterogeneous, and a nuanced approach to individualizing nutrition support with the aim of improving clinical outcomes is necessary.

Central line associated sepsis in children receiving parenteral nutrition in Oman

Parenteral Nutrition (PN) is used when gut fails to provide complete nutrition. Central line Associate Blood Stream Infection (CLABSI) a major complication of this therapy. The objective of the study was to report the incidence of CLABSI and associated mortality in children receiving PN in the Royal Hospital and study the indication and duration of PN use. All children from the age of 0-48 months who received TPN outside NICU from the period between 1/1/2011 till 31/12/2014 were included. Data were retrieved from the hospital electronic data base. There were 42 children 27 males and 15 females who used PN through a central line for a total duration of 569 days. The incidence of CLABSI was 14 days per 1000 days catheter and mortality of 556 per 10000. The average duration of TPN was 14.5 days. Most of the patient had CLABSI in the PICU and cardiac related illness or surgery was the most common indication of PN use. The average duration of use was 14 days. Inspite of that short duration use of PN, there is a very high incidence of CLABSI and its related mortality. Bundle policy for central line care is not used in the Royal Hospital and this study calls for urgent implementation of central line care bundle policy in the Royal Hospital.