[Short-term energy and protein support in mechanically ventilated patients with acute exacerbation of cor pulmonale].

Twenty-one mechanically ventilated patients with acute exacerbation of cor pulmonale had received home made "Nutritient" via nasal gastric tube as energy and protein support for four weeks (energy supplement 37-45 kcal.kg-1.d-1, protein 1.40-1.67 g.kg-1.d-1). Anthropometry, serum albumin, serum prealbumin were measured on the 1st day and at the end of the 1st, 2nd, 4th week of ventilation. The results were compared with those in 15 age-matched ventilated patients who received routine hospital nasal gastric feeding (energy 24-29 kcal.kg-1.d-1, protein: 0.92-1.09 g.kg-1.d-1). All patients were in protein deficient type malnutrition. At the end of the 1st week of ventilation, serum albumin dropped significantly in both groups, resulting in a status of mixed type malnutrition. At the end of the 2nd week, however, serum prealbumin in the experimental group (24.31 +/- 4.80 mg/dl) returned nearly to normal level, being significantly higher than that in the control group (15.10 +/- 3.10 mg/dl, P < 0.01). At the end of the 4th week, both serum albumin (3.90 +/- 0.31 g/dl) and prealbumin (27.33 +/- 3.30 mg/dl) in experimental group returned to normal, being also significantly higher than those in the control group (3.00 +/- 0.23 g/dl, P < 0.05; 17.11 +/- 3.22 mg/dl, P < 0.01). Anthropometry showed no significant change between the two groups during ventilation. It is shown that nasal tube administration of "Nutritient" provides much higher energy and protein as compared with routine nasal feeding, and enables the patient to overcome protein deficiency and to reach positive nitrogen balance earlier.