Study in ICU Patients Regarding Protein Intake and CT-derived Body Composition

Muscular Atrophy

Intensive Care Unit, Critical Illness, Body composition, Protein nutrition

The purpose of this study is to determine whether protein intake during the first days of intensive care admission, in relation to body composition at intensive care admission as assessed on computed tomography scans made during routine care, is are related to clinical outcome in critically ill patients.

Optimal protein and energy intake have been shown to be relevant for reducing mortality in prospective observational studies in mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the intensive care unit. However, nutritional status (protein mass, muscle mass) of patients at admission and possible consequences for clinical outcome are largely unknown. Computerized tomography scans can be used to assess muscle mass as a proxy for body protein mass. The investigators are especially interested in the effect of protein intake on clinical outcome in intensive care patients with different body protein mass at admission. This is relevant for appropriate formulation of clinical (protein) nutrition in this patient group. Therefore, the relationship between protein intake and patient outcome is evaluated in intensive care patients with low muscle and normal muscle area, using muscle area from computed tomography scans as a proxy of body protein mass. Additionally, data from computed tomography scans regarding muscle quality and muscle- and fat quantity are used to evaluate the prognostic value of body composition at intensive care admission. Finally, abdominal computed tomography scans are compared with thoracic computed tomography scans.