Nutrition in Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation: A Narrative Review

• Main Authors: Theresa S. W. Toh, Chengsi Ong, Yee Hui Mok, Palen Mallory, Ira M. Cheifetz, Jan Hau Lee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2021-08-01
• Series: Frontiers in Nutrition
• Subjects: energy expenditure; enteral nutrition; extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; nutritional adequacy; mortality; parenteral nutrition
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2021.666464/full

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support is increasingly utilized in quaternary pediatric intensive care units. Metabolic derangements and altered nutritional requirements are common in critically ill children supported on ECMO. However, there remains no consensus on the optimal approach to the prescription of nutrition in these patients. This narrative review aims to summarize the current medical literature on various aspects of nutrition support in pediatric patients on ECMO. These include: (1) nutritional adequacy, (2) pros and cons of feeding on ECMO, (3) enteral vs. parenteral nutrition, and (4) proposed recommendations and future directions for research in this area.