Objective To study the effects of mirabilite stuck on umbilical region combined with early enteral nutrition (EEN) on gastrointestinal function and serum inflammatory mediators in patients with mechanical ventilation. Methods Sixty-four patients with mechanical ventilation admitted to the Department of Intensive Care Unit of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Traditional Chinese Medical University from January to December 2016 were enrolled, and they were divided into an observation group and a control group by random number table, 32 cases in each group. The control group was treated with routine western medicine+ EEN, and the observation group was treated additionally with mirabilite stuck onto umbilical region on the basis of the treatment of the control group. The clinical effect was observed after 7 days of treatment. The differences in gastrointestinal function scores and the levels of serum inflammatory mediators were compared between the two groups before and after treatment.Results After treatment, gastrointestinal function scores of the diarrhea, bowel sound, abdominal distension and the levels of white blood cell count (WBC), serum procalcitonin (PCT), serum C-reactive protein (CRP) were decreased significantly in both groups compared with those before treatment, and the degrees of decreasing in above index levels after treatment in the observation group were more obvious than those in the control group [diarrhea: 0.72±0.03 vs. 1.59±0.21, bowel sounds: 0.87±0.05 vs. 1.54±0.18, abdominal distension: 0.77±0.04 vs. 1.63±0.09, WBC (×109/L): 9.87±1.25 vs. 12.46±2.04, PCT (μg/L): 5.43±1.02 vs. 9.65±1.63, CRP (mg/L): 56.87±4.52 vs. 89.43±8.24, allP < 0.05].Conclusion Applying mirabilite stuck on umbilical region combined with EEN can effectively promote the recovery of gastrointestinal function and significantly decrease the levels of serum inflammatory mediators in patients with mechanical ventilation.

Objective To observe the effect of early enteral nutrition (EEN) on nutritional indicators and clinical outcomes in patients with severe heart failure undergoing mechanical ventilation. Methods Thirty-four patients with severe heart failure (grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ of cardiac function) and pulmonary infections undergoing mechanical ventilation admitted to intensive care unit (ICU) of Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from May 2017 to April 2018 were enrolled. They were randomly divided into EEN group and delayed enteral nutrition (DEN) group. Both groups were given routine treatment, including mechanical ventilation, improvement of cardiac function, anti-infection, protection of vital organ function, regulation of blood sugar and adjustment of electrolyte and acid-base balance. The patients in EEN group received enteral nutrition (EN) within 48 hours after ICU admission, and in DEN group, EN was started after the patients had spent the early stage of stress and had stable vital signs (48 hours after ICU admission). The changes in serum B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP), C-reactive protein (CRP), nutritional indicators and liver function indicators at ICU admission and 7 days after treatment were compared between the two groups. The time needed for patients to reach EN target, duration of mechanical ventilation, length of ICU stay, and the 28-day mortality were recorded, and complications were observed. Results There was no significant difference in serum BNP, CRP, nutritional indicators or liver function indicators at ICU admission between the two groups. After treatment for 7 days, BNP and CRP in both groups were decreased significantly as compared with those at ICU admission [BNP (ng/L): 592.1±370.9 vs. 2 517.7±1 163.4 in EEN group, 621.9±418.8 vs. 2 251.5±1 006.8 in DEN group; CRP (mg/L): 46.0±19.6 vs. 59.8±22.5 in EEN group, 40.5±18.8 vs. 61.2±24.6 in DEN group, all P < 0.05], pre-albumin (PA) and transferrin (TF) were significantly increased [PA (g/L): 0.18±0.05 vs. 0.15±0.06 in EEN group, 0.17±0.04 vs. 0.12±0.06 in DEN group; TF (g/L): 1.6±0.4 vs. 1.5±0.4 in EEN group, 1.7±0.5 vs. 1.4±0.5 in DEN group, all P < 0.05]. However, there was no significant difference in the above indicators after treatment between the two groups (all P > 0.05). There was no significant change in liver function after treatment in both groups. The EN treatment was successfully completed in both groups. Some patients developed abdominal distension and diarrhea in varying degrees, which were alleviated by slowing down the infusion rate, supplemented by gastrointestinal motility drugs and intestinal flora adjustment drugs. The time needed to reach EN target in EEN group was significantly earlier than that in DEN group (hours: 42.4±10.2 vs. 53.8±17.1, P < 0.05), the duration of mechanical ventilation (days: 14.2±8.7 vs. 13.4±7.9), the length of ICU stay (days: 17.8±6.7 vs. 18.3±5.6) and 28-day mortality [5.9% (1/17) vs. 11.8% (2/17)] showed no significant difference as compared with those in DEN group (all P > 0.05), and it did not increase the incidence of aspiration pneumonia [23.5% (4/17) vs. 17.7% (3/17), P > 0.05]. Conclusion EEN could help to achieve nutritional goals as soon as possible, improve the nutritional status of the body, and provide conditions and basis for further treatment of severe heart failure patients.