Early Goal-Directed Nutrition in ICU Patients - EAT-ICU Trial

"1. Initiation of early supplementary parenteral nutrition (≤ 24 hours of admission).~2. Measurement of requirements (indirect calorimetry, 24-hour urinary urea) leading to patient-specific, individualised and goal-directed nutritional therapy.~3. Intervention goal: delivering 100% of patient-specific requirements, measured or calculated throughout entire admission (EN+PN)."

EN will be the preferred route of nutrition, and will be initiated within the first 24 hours of ICU admission, in accordance with best evidence. The amount is gradually increased over the first days of admission as tolerated by the patient (assessed from gastric aspirates). If EN fails to reach calculated goals at day 7, supplementary PN will be initiated at admission day 8 to reach goals. Protein and energy goals will be calculated as 25 kcal/kg/day and 1.2 g protein/kg/day.