ABSTRACT
Background: Recent trials have shown controversial results on which enteral feeding methods has a lower risk of enteral feeding intolerance. Therefore, we aimed to compare two methods of bolus and intermittent feeding on enteral feeding intolerance of patients with sepsis
Methods: This triple-blind randomized controlled trial was conducted on 60 patients with sepsis, who were fed through tubes for at least 3 days. The patients were randomly assigned into bolus feeding, intermittent feeding, and control groups. Enteral feeding intolerance of all patients was recorded in 3 consecutive days by a researcher-made checklist including the data on gastric residual volume, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal distension
Results: There were no significant differences between the three studied groups in none of the intervention days pertaining to constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal distention, and gastric residual volume [p > 0.05]. Also, no statistically significant difference was found between all variables in the three studied groups during the 3 days [p > 0.05]
Conclusion: As enteral feeding intolerance of patients with sepsis was similar in both bolus and intermittent feeding methods, it can be concluded that bolus method can still be used as a standard method to decrease the risk of enteral feeding intolerance if it is used properly