Nutrition Interventions to Support Oral Intake in Acute and Critical Care: A Systematic Review of Randomized Controlled Trials with Meta-Analysis
Nutrition support improving calorie and protein intake associated with 50% lower hospital death rates in critically ill patients.
This Monash University meta-analysis (16 RCTs, n=3795 acute care patients) finds that oral nutrition interventions improving caloric and protein intake are associated with a 50% reduction in hospital mortality (OR 0.50 in 3 trials) and 25% improvement in mortality at latest time point, though evidence quality is low-to-moderate. These findings are potentially impactful for a critically underexplored area of clinical nutrition practice.
What the study was
- Study design
- Systematic review and meta-analysis (PRISMA; 16 RCTs)
- Population
- Adults admitted to ICU or acute hospital wards; 16 trials, n=3795 participants
- Sample size
- 3795
- Category
- Treatment Innovation
- Maturity
- Validated
- Journal
- Nutrition Reviews
Why it surfaced
Unsolicited find from sentinel scan. OR 0.50 hospital mortality signal from a meta-analysis of RCTs is notable, though based on only 3 trials (risk of overprecision). Most evidence from acute ward, not ICU. Outside core watchlist but flagged as high-signal out-of-watchlist find.
A plain-language summary of published research — not medical advice. Talk to a clinician about your own care.