Randomized Controlled Trial of Comparative Hypocaloric vs Full‐Energy Enteral Feeding During the First Week of Hospitalization in Neurosurgical Patients at the Intensive Care Unit

Background Nutrition support plays a pivotal role in improving the clinical outcomes of the patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). However, there are controversies regarding the optimal amount of energy for the reduction of morbidity and mortality in neurosurgical patients at the ICU. Methods This randomized clinical trial was conducted on 560 patients who were admitted to trauma, stroke, and neurosurgery ICUs, and 68 patients were enrolled based on the inclusion criteria. In total, data of 58 patients were analyzed. In the full‐energy group, enteral feeding started at 75% of their daily energy expenditure and gradually increased to 90%–100%. In the hypocaloric group, enteral feeding started with 30% of the daily energy expenditure and reached 75% within 7 days of the intervention. Results No significant differences were observed in the baseline characteristics of the patients in the hypocaloric and full‐energy groups. The incidence of severe gastrointestinal intolerance was relatively high in the full‐energy group (P