Early Versus Late Enteral Nutrition in the Pediatric Critically-Ill Trauma Patient: A Retrospective Cohort Study

In brief

This retrospective study examines whether starting enteral feeding within 48 hours of PICU admission improves outcomes in critically-ill pediatric trauma patients, specifically measuring impact on length of stay and ventilator duration. The research also identifies clinical barriers that delay nutritional support initiation in this vulnerable population.

• Early enteral nutrition (within 48h) may reduce PICU length of stay in critically-ill pediatric trauma patients.
• Timing of enteral feeding initiation impacts ventilator days in pediatric trauma populations.
• Identifying barriers to early feeding can improve nutritional support protocols in PICU trauma care.
• Retrospective analysis provides real-world evidence for enteral nutrition timing in pediatric critical care.

Written by the GCMD Library team from the article.