High protein versus medium protein delivery under equal total energy delivery in critical care: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Appropriate protein delivery amounts during the acute phase of critical care are unknown. Along with nutrition, early mobilization and the combination are important. We conducted a randomized controlled trial during critical care to assess high-protein and medium-protein delivery under equal total energy delivery with and without active early rehabilitation.

METHODS:

ICU patients of August 2018-September 2019 were allocated to a high-protein group (target energy 20 kcal/kg/day, protein 1.8 g/kg/day) or a medium-protein group (target energy 20 kcal/kg/day, protein 0.9 g/kg/day) with the same nutrition protocol by day 10. By dividing the study period, standard rehabilitation was administered during the initial period. Rehabilitation with belt-type electrical muscle stimulation was given from day 2 in the latter as a historical comparison. Femoral muscle volume was evaluated on day 1 and day 10 using computed tomography.

RESULTS:

This study analyzed 117 eligible patients with similar characteristics assigned to a high-protein or medium-protein group. Total energy delivery was around 20 kcal/kg/day in both groups, but protein delivery was 1.5 g/kg/day and 0.8 g/kg/day. As a primary outcome, femoral muscle volume loss was 12.9 ± 8.5% in the high-protein group and 16.9 ± 7.0% in the medium-protein group, with significant difference (p = 0.0059). Persistent inflammation, immunosuppression, and catabolism syndrome were significantly less frequent in the high-protein group. Muscle volume loss was significantly less in the high-protein group only during the electrical muscle stimulation period.

CONCLUSIONS:

For critical care, high protein delivery provided better muscle volume maintenance, but only with active early rehabilitation.

REGISTRATION:

University Hospital Medical Information Network, UMIN000033783 Registered on 16 Aug 2018. https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000038538.

• Authors: Kensuke Nakamura, Hidehiko Nakano, Hiromu Naraba, Masaki Mochizuki, Yuji Takahashi, Tomohiro Sonoo, Hideki Hashimoto, Naoto Morimura
• Journal: Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) (Clin Nutr) Vol. 40 Issue 3 Pg. 796-803 (03 2021) ISSN: 1532-1983 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 32800385 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Dietary Proteins

Topics

• Aged
• Critical Care
• Dietary Proteins (administration & dosage)
• Electric Stimulation Therapy
• Energy Intake
• Enteral Nutrition
• Female
• Humans
• Intensive Care Units
• Male
• Muscle, Skeletal (pathology)
• Muscular Atrophy (pathology)
• Parenteral Nutrition