Enteral nutritional therapy associated with leukocyte series and mortality in intensive care patients of a hospital in the Andean Altiplano.

Abstract

Introduction: Nutritional therapy in critically ill patients is
very important due to its impact on morbidity and mortality,
preservation of tissue mass, reduction of hospital stay, among others.
Objective: To evaluate the association between enteral
nutritional therapy with the leukocyte series and mortality in patients in the Intensive Care Unit treated in a hospital in the Andean Plateau of Peru.
Materials and methods: quantitative approach study,
non-experimental design, cross-sectional correlational-causal and retrospective level; carried out on 98 patients aged 18 to 60 years, treated during the period from January 2021 to July 2023 in the intensive care unit of the San Martin de Porres-Macusani Hospital, located in Puno-Peru. The sampling was census-based, pregnant women were excluded; the information on enteral nutritional therapy and the leukocyte series was collected from medical records. To evaluate the association of the variables, the chi-square statistical test was used.
Results: 62.2% had normal nutritional status; 77.6% re
ceived early enteral nutrition; 89.8% received polymeric for
mula; and 71.4% received an average volume. Leukocytes,
neutrophils, and lymphocytes were abnormal; 21.4% of the
patients died. When analyzing the relationship between the
indicators of enteral nutritional therapy and the leukocyte series, an association was observed between the start time with the neutrophils and lymphocytes (p<0.05); and the average volume with the lymphocytes (p<0.05).
Conclusion: The start time and type of formula are asso
ciated with mortality. Likewise, the neutrophil and lymphocyte counts are associated with the start time and average initial volume of nutritional therapy.