The effect of nutritional support on the treatment process of adult patients in the intensive care unit

In the main principles of intensive care, nutritional support is an important part of critical care. In this study, it was aimed to examine the efficacy of nutritional support in intensive care, applied to patients who are treated in intensive care for different reasons and have chronic diseases. In this retrospective study, which was carried out with the data of 155 adult patients, excluding COVID-19, who were hospitalized in the ICU of a foundation university hospital; the effects on the treatment processes were questioned based on the data on anamnesis, biochemical parameters and nutritional supplements from the patient files. Patients in the ICU were divided into two groups according to their nutritional therapy status. In patients undergoing nutritional therapy, between the start of the treatment and the day they leave the ICU; In the patients who were not applied, their biochemical parameters were listed during their stay in the ICU. Patients with a median age of 75 years (40-99 years) and a median hospital stay of 8 days (3-30 days); 49,7% are female, 50,3% are male. It was determined that at least three comorbidities were present in 29,7% of the patients. It was observed that 83,2% of the patients were given nutritional therapy and 38,8% of them were started on the first day. As a result of the statistical analysis of the obtained data; It was determined that GCS scores and e-GFR levels made a significant difference on survival at the time of admission to the ICU (p=0,044; p=0,036, respectively). In addition, it was determined that the GCS scores of the patients and the time of initiation of nutritional therapy made a significant difference on the length of stay (p<0,001). In addition, it was determined that the number of comorbidities made a significant difference on the time of initiation of nutritional therapy (p=0,003), and the time of initiation of nutritional therapy on the duration of hospitalization (p<0,001). It was determined that the serum biochemical findings of the patients who received nutritional therapy were also important according to the survival status (p<0,05). In conclusion, it is thought that the application of timely and adequate nutritional therapy supports survival, shortens the length of hospital stay and positively affects the prognosis of the disease.