Implementation of the ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition in the intensive care unit (ICU): It is time to move forward!: A position paper from the 'nutrition in the ICU' ESPEN special interest group

Abstract

Nutritional assessment and provision of nutritional therapy are a core part of intensive care unit (ICU) patient treatment. The ESPEN guideline on clinical nutrition in the ICU was published in 2019. However, uncertainty and difficulties remain regarding its full implementation in daily practice. This position paper is intended to help ICU healthcare professionals facilitate the implementation of ESPEN nutrition guidelines to ensure the best care for their patients. We have aimed to emphasize the guideline recommendations that need to be implemented in the ICU, are advised, or are optional, and to give practical directives to improve the guideline recommendations in daily practice. These statements were written by the members of the ICU nutrition ESPEN special interest group (SIG), based on a survey aimed at identifying current practices relating to key issues in ICU nutrition. The ultimate goal is to improve the ICU patients quality of care.

Keywords: Body composition; Critical illness; Enteral nutrition; Indirect calorimetry; Malnutrition; Supplemental parenteral nutrition.