Vol. 10, Issue 5, Part A (2024)

Context: The critically ill patient’s composite persons in a complex environment. The intubated patients on ventilator support are those who maintain a continuous offensive response and acquired various immunosuppressive disorder and infections because of compromised nutritional status. These nosocomial infections extend the duration of mechanical ventilator dependence and enhance infections level up to sepsis. Nutritional support is essential for such type of patients to enhance their muscle strength immunity of body. In view of compromised situation, the administration of vitamin C by any route can be adjuvant therapy to boost immunity of patients.

Aims and Objective: The study aims to assess the effectiveness of nasogastric feed fortified with orange juice on the duration of mechanical ventilation and sepsis among intubated patients admitted in critical care units. The objective was to assess the pre and post interventional level of mechanical ventilation dependence and sepsis and to compare the mechanical ventilation dependence and sepsis among interventional and conventional group.

Methodology: A quantitative research approach was used to carry out a randomized control trial design to assess the effectiveness of nasogastric feed fortified with orange juice on the duration of mechanical ventilation and sepsis among intubated patients .A convenient sampling was used to select the 60 subjects as per inclusion and exclusion criteria and randomly allocated 30 in each interventional and conventional group. A self-structured socio-demographic profile sheet, clinical profile sheet and standardized SOFA score tool used for assessment of duration of mechanical ventilation and sepsis status was used to assess the variables under study.

Results: The study results revealed that out of 60 subjects were with mean age 41.5± 0.63. More than half subjects were male (71.7%), married (70%), unemployed (51.7%) and were living in joint family (56.7%). As per pre interventional assessment less than half subjects were having PaO2 score (35%) under 75-100 mmHg and >100 mmHg and FiO2 score (55%) under 81-100% among interventional and conventional group as per SOFA score scale. Out of 60 subject 15(50%) were having 2.1-3 score as per SOFA score. As per post assessment more than half subjects were having PaO2 score (55%) under 75-100 mmHg and FiO2 score (53.3%) under 21-50% among interventional and conventional group as per SOFA score scale. Out of 60 subject 22(36.6%) were having 1.1-2 score as per SOFA score among interventional and conventional group. Nasogastric feed fortified with orange juice has shown significant effect on the duration of mechanical ventilation and sepsis score among intubated patients at p<0.05.

Conclusion: The study concluded that nasogastric feed fortified with orange juice was effective in reducing the duration of mechanical ventilation and decrease the occurrence of sepsis among intubated patients in the critical care units.