energy and nutrient requirements in the intensive care unit inpatients: a narrative review

b a ckground: malnutrition has been the most prevalent problem in hospitalized patients during recent years, which accentuate the paramount importance of comprehensive nutritional  support  among  these  patients.  this  study  aimed  to provide a review of the recent literature about intensive care unit (icu) inpatients and their nutritional care. m ethods : this review on energy and nutrient requirements for feeding the icu inpatients focused on literature in english language. an on-line search using the keywords “nutritional support, malnutrition, icu inpatients, micronutrient deficiencies, critically ill” in isi web of science, pubmed, scopus journals published  during  the  years  (june  1979-november 2014)  was  run.  the  cross- sectional and prospective studies, as well as the clinical trials, were recruited into this investigation. results : recent studies propose energy provision with 20-25 kcal/kg/day or 25-35 kcal/kg/day for critically ill patients. the recommended carbohydrate and protein intakes are 2-4 g/kg/day, 1.2-1.5 g/kg/day, respectively. the suggested fat intake is 25-30% of a total calorie. the latest studies stressed the need for antioxidant vitamins and trace elements such as a, c, β-carotene, e, selenium, magnesium and zinc among icu inpatients. conclusion : high prevalence of malnutrition among icu inpatients caution to provide a nutritional health care team, including professionals and dietitians who evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and supplementations. energy requirement should be determined according to their nutritional and clinical status; then macro and micronutrient needs should be considered for icu inpatients.