Introduction:

food and nutrition presuppose a relevant role in the recovery of the critically-ill patient. A non-optimal nutritional status continues to be the most frequent cause of poor evolution of hospitalized patients and quality of life.

Objective:

to characterize the nutritional status and support in critically-ill patients hospitalized in the Intensive Care Unit at Pepe Portilla Pediatric Hospital of Pinar del Rio, from May 2016- May 2018.

Methods:

an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional research was conducted in 51 patients who required nutritional intervention, in which enteral and/or parenteral nutrients were used. Information was collected from a documentary review.

Results:

nutritional support therapy prevailed in patients aged zero to four years, representing 47,1 %; 62,7 % were male. Enteral nutrition predominated in patients admitted for respiratory failure (44 %), sepsis (16 %) and cancer diseases (13 %). Parenteral nutritional support was given to 68,4 % of surgical diseases. Digestive complications were the most frequent (54,8 %) followed by metabolic complications (13,7 %).

Conclusions:

malnourished patients or at risk of malnutrition required nutritional support, predominantly in patients from zero to four years old, related to surgical causes, respiratory diseases and sepsis. Enteral and parenteral nutrients were used with digestive complications such as vomiting and diarrhea.

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