Individualizing post-ICU nutrition: from guideline intent to bedside practice.

Abstract

Purpose of review: Survivorship of critical illness has increased, shifting attention toward recovery and long-term outcomes. Post-ICU nutrition is emerging as a clinically relevant, yet underperforming contributor to functional recovery and quality of life. Persistent nutritional inadequacy reflects insufficiently defined physiological requirements and limited implementable evidence-based guidance during ICU recovery.

Recent findings: Energy and protein delivery sharply decline after ICU discharge, despite persistent metabolic demands. Underfeeding can result from the absence of recovery-specific targets, patient-level barriers (e.g. appetite loss, dysphagia, fatigue), and fragmented care transitions, including premature feeding-tube removal and suboptimal monitoring of oral intake. Structured patient and family engagement can help operationalize individualized nutritional strategies and improve feasibility without substantial resource burden, acting as continuity agents.

Summary: Post-ICU nutritional failure reflects combined physiological and implementation challenges. Clinicians should recognize the post-ICU hospitalization period as a potential 'metabolic danger zone', requiring a shift from acute-phase restrictive feeding toward strategies prioritizing functional recovery and lean mass preservation. Improving outcomes requires standardized, yet adaptable, care pathways that bridge ICU-to-ward transitions, operationalize individualization, and integrate patient and family input as clinical instruments. Future research should prioritize multicenter implementation studies centered on 'disability-free survival' to inform adaptive, evidence-based nutritional protocols.