P423 - DOES NASOGASTRIC TUBE REMOVAL AFFECT POST INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (ICU) FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES?

P423

DOES NASOGASTRIC TUBE REMOVAL AFFECT POST INTENSIVE CARE UNIT (ICU) FUNCTIONAL OUTCOMES?

M. D. L. A. Garcia Alcaide^1,*

¹Nutrition and Dietetics, University Hospitals of Leicester , Leicester , United Kingdom

 

Rationale: As ICU survival rates increase, many patients experience diminished quality of life due to muscle loss and functional decline¹. Adequate nutritional intake is essential for recovery, but post-ICU oral intake is often insufficient ^2,3. While enteral nutrition via nasogastric tube (NGT) can meet nutritional needs, it is often removed prematurely after ICU transfer. This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of ICU stepdown patients who either continued or discontinued NGT.

Methods: An audit from May 2024-April 2025 assessed weight, mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and handgrip strength (HGS) as indicators of nutritional and functional recovery.

Results: Sixty-seven of 151 patients with repeated measures were included (lack of data due to early discharge or patient disengagement). While no weight differences were observed between groups, more patients who continued NGT had stable or improved MUAC and HGS at hospital discharge (table 1). This suggests that continuing NGT may enhance functional outcomes.

 

Table 1: Improved or stable weight, MUAC, and HGS in post-ICU patients with continued vs. removed NGT.

	NGT in (n=32)	NGT out (n=35)
Weight	17/30. 57%	16/29. 55%
MUAC	23/31. 74%	17/32. 53%
HGS	27/29. 93%	19/30. 63%

Conclusion: Further guidelines on post-ICU nutrition and NGT decision-making are essential to optimise patient outcomes, reduce complications, and ensure that nutritional support meets individual patient requirements.

References: ¹ Moisey et al. The role of nutrition rehabilitation in critical illness recovery. Crit Care. 2022;26(1):270. doi: 10.1186/s13054-022-04143-5.

² Van Zanten ARH et al. Nutrition therapy in critical illness: ICU, post-ICU, and convalescence phases. Crit Care. 2019;23(1):368. doi: 10.1186/s13054-019-2657-5.

³Ridley EJ et al. Nutrition intake in the post-ICU period. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care. 2020;23(2):111-115. doi: 10.1097/MCO.0000000000000637.

Disclosure of Interest: None declared