Are immune-enhancing diets safe for critically ill children?

Another point is that this study did not take the anthropometric nutritional status of the children into consideration. Because we cannot expect the malnourished to respond in the same way as well-nourished patients, nutritional status should be borne in mind when evaluating clinical trials on nutritional support. Diarrhea was attributed to the high osmolality of the formula, and its inappropriate renal solute load may have accounted for the higher serum levels of sodium and urea reported in the immunonutrition group. Because of the potential risk of harm reported in some groups of patients, especially those with severe sepsis, and the undesirable effects of a formula that does not conform to accepted standards for pediatric needs, we believe the recommendation of such formulas is premature in critically ill children.