The effect of wheat germ-enriched enteral formula on clinical and anthropometric factors in mechanically ventilated patients admitted to the intensive care unit.

Abstract

Nutritional support is considered as an important therapeutic strategy among critically ill patients. To evaluate the effect of a wheat germ-enriched formula in patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). This randomized controlled clinical trial study was conducted on 100 patients admitted to the ICU. Patients randomly received a wheat germ-enriched formula or a standard formula from the first day of admission until weaning from the ventilator. Then, the duration of mechanical ventilation, the length of ICU, hospital admission, body composition and mortality rate were compared between the two groups. Based on the results, wheat germ-enriched formula caused a significant reduction in the length of mechanical ventilation (29.80±21.99 days vs. 36.48±8.78 days, P<0.001), the ICU length of stay (32.92±21.04 days vs. 37.70±8.76, P<0.001), and the SOFA score (4.60±1.28 vs. 5.68±1.25, P<0.001) compared to the control group. However, the intervention group demonstrated a significant increase in the basal metabolic rate, mid upper arm circumference, skeletal muscle mass, body cell mass, and GCS score compared to the control group (P<0.05). Finally, no significant difference was observed between the two groups in terms of the hospital length of stay, ICU mortality, and body fat percentage (P>0.05). In general, wheat germ enriched formula may exert beneficial effect on clinical and anthropomorphic variables in patients admitted to the ICU. The study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Urmia University of Medical Sciences under number IR.umsu.rec.1396.88 and registered at the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials Website as IRCT20171221037983N3.