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Table 3 Differences in feeding complications between early and late feeding groups categorized by illness severity

From: Association between illness severity and timing of initial enteral feeding in critically ill patients: a retrospective observational study

Feeding complications

APACHE II <20

APACHE II ≥20

 

(n = 47)

(n = 61)

 

Early

Late

Early

Late

 

(n = 14)

(n = 33)

(n = 26)

(n = 35)

Diarrhea (%, n)

14.3 (2/14)†

24.2 (8/33)

42.3 (11/26)

11.4 (4/35)**

GI bleeding (%, n)

7.7 (1/13)

18.2 (6/33)

30.8 (8/26)

5.7 (2/35)**

Vomiting (%, n)

7.1 (1/14)

3.0 (1/33)

11.5 (3/26)

8.8 (3/34)

Gastric retention (%, n)

0 (0/14)

0 (0/33)

3.8 (1/26)

5.7 (2/35)

  1. APACHE, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation; GI, gastrointestinal. †Data are expressed as percentage and number of patients in parentheses. Mann–Whitney U-test for differences between early and late feeding groups categorized by APACHE II <20 and APACHE II ≥20. Double asterisks (**) indicate p < 0.01.
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Nutrition Journal

ISSN: 1475-2891

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