Correlation between measured energy expenditure and clinically obtained variables in trauma and sepsis patients.

Publication/Presentation Date

1-1-1994

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Indirect calorimetry is the preferred method for determining caloric requirements of patients, but availability of the device is limited by high cost. A study was therefore conducted to determine whether clinically obtainable variables could be used to predict metabolic rate.

METHODS: Patients with severe trauma or sepsis who required mechanical ventilation were measured by an open-circuit indirect calorimeter. Several clinical variables were obtained simultaneously. Measurements were repeated every 12 hours for up to 10 days.

RESULTS: Twenty-six trauma and 30 sepsis patients were measured 423 times. Mean resting energy expenditure was 36 +/- 7 kcal/kg (trauma) vs 45 +/- 8 kcal/kg (sepsis) (p < .0001). The single strongest correlate with resting energy expenditure was minute ventilation (R2 = 0.61, p < .0001). Doses of dopamine, dobutamine, morphine, fentanyl, and neuromuscular blocking agents each correlated positively with resting energy expenditure. In the case of the inotropics and neuromuscular blockers, there was a probable covariance with severity of illness. A multiple regression equation was developed using minute ventilation, predicted basal energy expenditure, and the presence or absence of sepsis: resting energy expenditure = -11000 + minute ventilation (100) + basal energy expenditure (1.5) + dobutamine dose (40) + body temperature (250) + diagnosis of sepsis (300) (R2 = 0.77, p < .0001).

CONCLUSION: Severe trauma and sepsis patients are hypermetabolic, but energy expenditure is predictable from clinical data. The regression equations probably apply only to severe trauma and sepsis. Other studies should be conducted to predict energy expenditure in other patient types.

Volume

18

Issue

5

First Page

398

Last Page

403

ISSN

0148-6071

Disciplines

Medicine and Health Sciences

PubMedID

7815669

Department(s)

Department of Surgery

Document Type

Article

Share

COinS