Table 1.

Effect of Two Dye Concentrations in Enteral Formula on Visibility of Dye in Suctioned Tracheobronchial Secretions Over Three Time Points^*

	Suctioned Secretions in Which Dye Was Visible (n = 45)
Dye Concentration, mL/L	2 h	4 h	6 h
0.8	57.8 (26)	46.7 (21)	28.9† (13)
1.5	66.7 (30)	51.1 (23)	26.7† (12)
Average of the two Concentrations‡	62.2	48.9	27.8

^*Values given as % (No. of secretions in which dye was visible).

^†At 6 hours, visibility of dye was significantly lower (p < 0.05) than at 2 and 4 h.

^‡Average visibility of dye decreased significantly (p < 0.05) at each successive time point.