BACKGROUND: Motility of the lower gut has been little studied in intensive care patients. METHOD: We prospectively studied constipation in an intensive care unit of a university hospital, and conducted a national survey to assess the generalizability of our findings. RESULTS: Constipation occurred in 83% of the patients. More constipated patients (42.5%) failed to wean from mechanical ventilation than non-constipated patients (0%), P<0.05. The median length of stay in intensive care and the proportion of patients who failed to feed enterally were greater in constipated than non-constipated patients (10 vs 6.5 days and 27.5 vs 12.5%, respectively (NS)). The survey found similar observations in other units. Delays in weaning from mechanical ventilation and enteral feeding were reported by 28 and 48% of the units surveyed, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Constipation has implications for the critically ill.
BACKGROUND: Motility of the lower gut has been little studied in intensive care patients. METHOD: We prospectively studied constipation in an intensive care unit of a university hospital, and conducted a national survey to assess the generalizability of our findings. RESULTS:Constipation occurred in 83% of the patients. More constipatedpatients (42.5%) failed to wean from mechanical ventilation than non-constipatedpatients (0%), P<0.05. The median length of stay in intensive care and the proportion of patients who failed to feed enterally were greater in constipated than non-constipatedpatients (10 vs 6.5 days and 27.5 vs 12.5%, respectively (NS)). The survey found similar observations in other units. Delays in weaning from mechanical ventilation and enteral feeding were reported by 28 and 48% of the units surveyed, respectively. CONCLUSIONS:Constipation has implications for the critically ill.
Authors: Sergio B Sawh; Ibrahim P Selvaraj; Akila Danga; Alison L Cotton; Jonathan Moss; Parind B Patel Journal: Mayo Clin Proc Date: 2012-03 Impact factor: 7.616
Authors: Johan I van der Spoel; Marcus J Schultz; Peter H J van der Voort; Evert de Jonge Journal: Intensive Care Med Date: 2006-04-28 Impact factor: 17.440
Authors: Annika Reintam Blaser; Manu L N G Malbrain; Joel Starkopf; Sonja Fruhwald; Stephan M Jakob; Jan De Waele; Jan-Peter Braun; Martijn Poeze; Claudia Spies Journal: Intensive Care Med Date: 2012-02-07 Impact factor: 17.440