External Metabolic Balance Studies During Nasogastric Feeding in Serious Illnesses Requiring Intensive Care

Abstract

External metabolic balance methods have confirmed that a tube feed of milk powder and glucose is able to maintain metabolic balance in patients with various serious illnesses admitted to an intensive-care unit. Corrected nitrogen balance showed only trivial loss of the lean muscle mass, in spite of the serious illnesses treated. The incidence of diarrhoea with a previous feed containing lactose was substantially reduced, and clinical observations confirmed that the diet was easy to organize, reduced the frequency of metabolic complications, and shortened convalescence. © 1966, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.