Nutrition therapy in critically ill patients with severe acute pancreatitis

Nutr Clin Pract. 2024 Apr;39(2):271-280. doi: 10.1002/ncp.11135. Epub 2024 Feb 15.

Abstract

A significant proportion of patients (10%-20%) with acute pancreatitis develop severe acute pancreatitis characterized by pancreatic necrosis, systemic inflammation, and organ failure, commonly requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission. In this specific population, nutrition therapy is more challenging than that in the general ICU population, primarily because of inevitable gastrointestinal involvement by pancreatic inflammation. In this review, we discussed several key aspects of nutrition therapy in this population, including key pathophysiology that may impede nutrition therapy, the timing and implementation of enteral nutrition and parenteral nutrition, the importance of specific nutrient supplements, and the long-term outcomes that may be addressed by nutrition therapy.

Keywords: critical care; enteral nutrition; long-term care; pancreatic disease; pancreatitis; parenteral nutrition.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Critical Illness / therapy
  • Humans
  • Inflammation
  • Nutritional Support
  • Pancreatitis* / complications
  • Pancreatitis* / therapy