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. 2022 Jun 9;26:173. doi: 10.1186/s13054-022-04047-4

Table 4.

Safety outcomes

Outcomes All (n = 626) Early EN (Within 48 h from ICU admission) (n = 526) Delayed EN (> 48 h from ICU admission) (n = 100) p
Enteral feeding intolerance, n (%)
Overall EFI 161 (25)
High gastric residuals 45 (7.2) 39 (7.4) 6 (6.0) 0.62
Increased abdominal girth or abdominal distention 29 (4.6) 23 (4.4) 6 (6.0) 0.48
Vomiting/emesis 68 (10.9) 55 (10.5) 13 (13.0) 0.45
Diarrhea 15 (2.4) 12 (2.3) 3 (3.0) 0.67
Subjective discomfort 4 (0.6) 4 (0.8) 0 (0.0) 0.38
Labs from first 12 ICU days
Highest creatinine (n), mean ± SD; [range] µmol/L (624) 124.0 ± 113.8 [17.8–1589.2] (524) 123.6 ± 116.8 [17.8–1589.2] (100) 125.9 ± 97.2 [29.2–531.5] 0.56
Highest urea/bun (n), mean ± SD; [range] mmol/L (614) 13.3 ± 8.0 [1.8–50.7] (515) 13.3 ± 8.3 [2.4–50.7] (99) 13.2 ± 6.8 [1.8–32.8] 0.44
Lowest phosphate (n), mean ± SD; [range] mmol/L (608) 1.1 ± 0.3 [0.5–2.9] (508) 1.1 ± 0.3 [0.5–2.5] (100) 1.1 ± 0.4 [0.6–2.9] 0.89
Highest triglycerides (n), mean ± SD; [range] mmol/L (166) 2.3 ± 1.7 [0.3–16.8] (140) 2.3 ± 1.8 [0.3–16.8] (26) 2.0 ± 1.1 [0.3–5.5] 0.58

Numeric variables are represented as “n” and percentage (%); mean and standard deviation (±) and [ranges]; EFI enteral feeding intolerance, EN enteral nutrition