Mixed
Post-pyloric tube feeding increases the percentage of total nutritional targets delivered to critically ill patients compared to gastric feeding, likely due to improved tolerance and fewer feeding interruptions.
Placing the feeding tube in the small intestine (post-pyloric) allows critically ill patients to receive a slightly higher percentage of their prescribed nutritional targets compared to stomach feeding. This is likely because the small intestine tolerates feeding better, leading to fewer interruptions. However, this improved nutrition delivery has not been shown to translate into shorter ICU stays or lower mortality rates. The benefit is modest and comes with the challenge of more difficult tube placement.
Low-quality evidence shows an increase in the percentage of total nutrient delivered to the patient by post-pyloric feeding (mean difference (MD) 7.8%, 95% CI 1.43 to 14.18).
Why this rating
Evidence is rated 'Low' by GRADE, downgraded due to inconsistency (high I²) and risk of bias.
Source
Post-pyloric versus gastric tube feeding for preventing pneumonia and improving nutritional outcomes in critically ill adults
Sana Alkhawaja et al. · Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews · 2015
DOI 10.1002/14651858.cd008875.pub2
Related findings · Mixed
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