Manejo nutricional de los pacientes en situación de pandemia por infección por SARS-CoV-2 en un centro de referencia

Introduction

In response to the emerging COVID-19 virus, each healthcare specialist faces unique challenges, and nutrition was no exception. Nutritional support plays a critical role in managing COVID-19 patients, who are at high risk of sarcopenia and malnutrition. It is essential to characterize, evaluate, and implement appropriate strategies to manage the disease from a nutritional perspective, thereby preventing complications.

Materials and methods

This was a retrospective, observational, cross-sectional study of adult patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, managed by the nutritional support group. The objective of this study was to describe the general characteristics and nutritional management of patients with COVID-19 in the intensive care unit (ICU) during the period from March 1, 2020, to November 30, 2021.

Results

A total of 442 patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection who required invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and nutritional support were included. Of these, 69.9% were men, and 30.1% were women, with an average age of 63 years. Mortality was 46.8%. Most patients were overweight. The nutritional strategy was initiated within 48 h in 81.2% of cases. The most used nutritional formulas were hyperproteic formulas with modified, concentrated carbohydrates.

Conclusions

Enteral therapy was the most frequently used method in our cohort of patients with severe COVID-19 and ventilatory failure. No modifications were made during prone and supination therapy, and the outcomes were similar to those reported in the literature.