Comparison the effect of two ways of tube feeding including bolus and continuous infusion on gastric residual volume and diarrhea in patients hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit

Proper nutritional support is one of the important caring aspects in patients who were hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit. Although the several studies have been done concerning the selection of proper nutrition method for patients، but there is no agreement on this issue. The aim of current study was the compare the effect of two ways of tube feeding including bolus and continuous infusion on gastric residual volume and diarrhea in patients hospitalized in Intensive Care Unit. The current clinical trial was conducted on patients who were hospitalized in intensive care unit in Alzahra hospital in Isfahan، 2013. Fifty patients were selected through convenient sampling and were randomly assigned into two groups of 25 people of intervention and control. Nutrition was done through infusion pump in intervention group and by bolus in control group. Gastric residual volume and diarrhea was assessed each four hours for four days. Data were gathered through checklist and were analyzed by SPSS18 using descriptive and inferential statistics including independent T-test، Fisher''s exact test and repeated measures ANOVA. The results showed that the mean of gastric residual volume in control group was more than the intervention group on the third day (p=0. 04). Also، the mean of gastric residual volume did not show significant difference at different times in intervention group، but the mean of gastric residual volume was significantly increased in control group at different times (p=0. 04). Fisher''s exact test showed no significant difference between two groups concerning the diarrhea frequency. In nutritional support with continuous infusion method، gastric residual volume was not increased and gastric emptying rate was not diminished. Therefore، this method can be used as an appropriate nutritional support in intensive care unit.