Alteration in fluid, electrolytes and other serum chemistry values and their relations with enteral tube feeding in acute brain infarction patients

초록

the present study was performed (1) to examine whether significant alterations in fluid and electrolyte levels occurred after tube feeding in acute brain infarction patients, (2) to determine the patterns of alterations in fluid and electrolyte levels after tube feeding, and (3) to clarify whether such fluid and electrolyte imbalances after tube feeding were more prominent in the elderly brain infarction patients. The present study was conducted using a retrospective medical record review of tube-fed patients with acute brain infarction who had been hospitalized in a university hospital between 1997 and 2001. Data related to prescribed medication, fluid balance (intake/output) and serum electrolyte levels on 4 consecutive days (from the day before to 3rd day of tube feeding) were collected by retrospective medical record review. The medical records of 85 subjects with all necessary data were included. Mean values of major serum electrolytes (sodium, potassium, and chloride) were not significantly altered by tube feeding. The proportion of hyponatremic subjects reduced after tube feeding, while hypenatremic subjects increased. Though the proportion of hypokalemic subjects increased after tube feeding the proportion of hyperkalemic subjects was unaltered. The incidence of hyperchloridemia was increased after tube feeding though this reduced progressively. Differences between fluid input and output were significantly increased after tube feeding. The incidence of dehydration reduced overall, while over-hydration increased.