ABSTRACT
The administration of enteral or parenteral nutrition constitutes one of the pillars of modern critical care, as nutritional status directly affects morbidity and mortality (1,2). Nutritional needs vary in response to metabolic changes, age, sex, growth periods, stress (i.e., trauma, disease, pregnancy, etc.), and physical condition. During critical illness, retention of sodium and water, along with loss of lean body mass from immobility and hypermetabolism, is related with the risk of multiorgan dysfunction syndrome, infection, and healing difficulties. Furthermore, these inflammatory changes can confound the monitoring of factors usually used in nutritional assessment.
