Investigating Nutrition and Functional Outcome in Critically Ill Patients

The investigators propose a prospective observational, single-center, multi-intensive care unit trial to evaluate the influence of current nutritional practice on the physical outcome in critically ill patients. At least 100 consecutive patients requiring surgery, who are admitted to any surgical ICU at the University Hospital RWTH Aachen will be recruited. Nutritional practices, such as dosage, timing and route of administration of the nutrition, as well as complications regarding the nutrition will be recorded and analyzed longitudinally from ICU-admission until hospital discharge. Patient outcomes, such as ICU- and hospital length of stay, duration of mechanical ventilation, organ dysfunction, complications and infections will be evaluated. To assess physical function of the patient, muscle mass, muscle strength, the ability of the patient to self-mobilize and perform every day activities will be measured.

This observational trial aims to assess the current standard of nutritional practice in the ICU, to detect problems and complications and to gather first evidences about the influence of nutrition on the physical function of the patient. This study also aims to compare the outcome of the predefined subgroups of critically ill patients.

Inclusion criteria

• Informed consent
• Adult patients (≥ 18 years)
• Patients admitted to a surgical ICU requiring surgical Intervention
• Patients requiring sedation and invasive ventilation for ≥ 48 hours
• Patients with an expected ICU-length of stay ≥ 72 hours

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant or lactating patients
• Patients already receiving an intense nutrition support (home parenteral or enteral nutrition) in addition to normal nutrition on hospital admission
• Patients with disabling disease (neurological or physical) that prevents them from walking, sitting or standing before ICU admission
• Patients unable to follow orders from the study personnel (language barriers, neurological, psychiatric disorders)
• Death expected within 96 hours after admission due to severity of disease
• Enrolment in an industry sponsored randomized trial within the last 30 days (co-enrolment in academic randomized trials will be considered on a case by case basis)