Protein prescription and delivery practices in critically ill adults: A survey of Australian and New Zealand intensive care dietitians

BACKGROUND

Protein provision is thought to be integral to attenuating muscle wasting in critical illness, yet patients receive half of that prescribed. As international guidelines lack definitive evidence to support recommendations, understanding clinicians' views relating to protein practices is of importance.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to describe Australia and New Zealand intensive care unit (ICU) dietitians' protein prescription and perceived delivery practices in critically ill adults, including common barriers and associations between ICU clinical experience and protein prescriptions for different clinical conditions.

METHODS

A 42-item descriptive quantitative survey of Australian and New Zealand intensive care dietitians was disseminated through nutrition and ICU society e-mailing lists. Data were collected on respondent demographics and reported protein practices including questions related to a multitrauma case study. Data were analysed using descriptive and content analysis and reported as n (%). Fisher's exact tests were used to compare experience and protein prescriptions.

RESULTS

Of the 67 responses received (one excluded due to >50% missing data), more than 80% of respondents stated they would prescribe 1.2-1.5 g protein/kg bodyweight/day for most critically ill patients, most commonly using European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN) guidelines to support prescriptions (n = 61/66, 92%). Most respondents (n = 49/66, 74%) thought their practice achieved 61-80% of protein prescriptions, with frequently reported barriers including fasting periods (n = 59/66, 89%), avoiding energy overfeeding (n = 50/66, 76%), and gastrointestinal intolerance (n = 47/66, 71%). No associations between years of ICU experience and protein prescriptions for 14 of the 15 predefined clinical conditions were present.

CONCLUSIONS

Australian and New Zealand ICU dietitians use international guidelines to inform protein prescriptions of 1.2-1.5 g/kg/day for most clinical conditions, and protein prescriptions do not appear to be influenced by years of ICU experience. Key perceived barriers to protein delivery including avoidance of energy overfeeding and gastrointestinal intolerance could be explored to improve protein adequacy.

Diode laser assisted transcervical tubal sterilization: an in vivo study in rabbits

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

To investigate the sterilization effectiveness of endoluminal tubal photocoagulation on tubal lumen obliteration.

STUDY DESIGN/MATERIALS AND METHODS

Twenty-four female rabbits were subjected to laparotomy and hysterotomy. Endoluminal tubal photocoagulation was induced over a length of 3 cm in the proximal, extramural fallopian tube by using a cylindrical diffusing tip that emitted diode laser radiation at 805 and 980 nm wavelengths. Tubal patency was evaluated by observing patterns of injected methylene blue and/or breeding success rates.

RESULTS

Postoperative recovery was uneventful in all animals. Evidence of occlusion of the tubal lumen included a negative methylene blue test in all 12 tubes treated (tubal occlusion rate 100%) and failure to conceive in 17 of 18 uteri (contraception rate 94.5%). Although identical power settings were used, distinctly lower tubal surface temperatures (about 10 degrees C) were obtained with the 805 nm diode laser as compared to the 980 nm diode laser.

CONCLUSIONS

The described endoluminal tubal photocoagulation method using a diode laser emitting longer wavelengths (e.g., 980 nm) is suitable for safe and effective sterilization in rabbits and has potential as a new transcervical tubal sterilization method for humans.

Enterobius vermicularis salpingitis: a distant episode from precipitating appendicitis

Chronic pelvic inflammatory disease is a common gynecologic diagnosis in women with chronic pelvic pain. When standard antimicrobial therapy does not improve the clinical status, uncommon diagnoses such as Enterobius vermicularis should be considered. In this case, E vermicularis presented as acute and chronic salpingitis in a patient who had had E vermicularis-related appendicitis 5 years earlier.