Abstract
Purpose: Overfeeding is known to induce metabolic problems in critical ill patients as well as malnutrition. In this study, we have determined the effect of overfeeding on protein catabolism as nutritional stress.
Subjects and Methods: Analyses were evaluated for metabolic status. 30 patients in a hospital ICU and receiving mechanical ventilation were measured energy expenditure by using indirect calorimetry. Patients were divided into 3 groups: underfeeding (U), adequate feeding (A), overfeeding (O). Energy expenditure, 3-methyl-histidine, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, noradrenalin, C-reactive protein, prealbumin levels were assessed.
Results: The assessment of protein catabolism using 3-methyl-histidine/creatinine indicated that patients with overfeeding were prompt catabolism. BUN, CRP and prealbumin were not different among each group. The patients with overfeeding showed high level of urea noradrenalin significantly compared with other groups. However, length of ICU stay and ventilated duration were not changed between each group. Feeding routes; enteral nutrition, parental nutrition or both of those, did not make significant difference of protein catabolism and nutritional stress.
Conclusion: Overfeeding induced protein catabolism since it might be from nutrition stress.
