BackgroundThis study aimed to compare nutritional effectiveness and complication rate between early nasojejunal and nasogastric tube feeding in patients with an intracerebral hemorrhage. MethodsThis was a retrospective study. Eighty patients with an intracerebral hemorrhage were divided into a nasojejunal and a nasogastric tube feeding group. Feeding tubes were placed within 6 h after admission, and enteral feeding began within 2 h after tube placement. The nutritional status and complication rate of the 2 groups were compared before and 2 and 4 weeks after beginning feeding. ResultsSerum prealbumin, serum albumin, and hemoglobin levels were significantly higher in the nasojejunal tube feeding group than in the nasogastric tube feeding group at 2 and 4 weeks after beginning feeding (all, p < 0.05). The incidence of gastric retention, pulmonary aspiration, and pneumonia were lower in the early nasojejunal tube feeding group than in the early nasogastric tube feeding group (all, p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence of diarrhea between the 2 groups. ConclusionCompared with early nasogastric feeding, early nasojejunal feeding provides better nutritional effectiveness and a lower incidence of gastric retention, pulmonary aspiration, and pneumonia in patients with an intracerebral hemorrhage.