Please check our “Clinical Studies” page to access the full article regarding the importance of increased protein needs for COVID-19 ventilated patients:

The Issue:

The COVID-19 virus has brought significant new challenges to the nutritional support of the estimated 960,000 patients who will require mechanical ventilation.

Overview:

Ventilated patients are anesthetized using a lipid (fat) based anesthesia such as propofol that typically delivers 400-500 fat calorie per day. Enteral tube feeding formulas do not deliver enough protein to meet the Society of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) guidelines of 1.2 -2.0 mg of actual body weight per day without over feeding calories (see attached). For example, a 225 lb. man receiving and a standard enteral tube feed would receive 1530-2040 calories but only 65-86 grams of protein. However his protein needs are estimated to be closer to 153-204 grams. A 150 lb woman would receive 1020-1360 calories and 43-57 grams protein, but her protein needs are estimated to be 65-86 grams. In both cases the protein provision falls short of the estimated needs. With the addition of calories provided by lipid-based sedatives, the protein deficit would be even greater.