SynthesisCritical care (London, England)2022
Comparison of continuous versus intermittent enteral feeding in critically ill patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in Critical care (London, England), 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05879263 ("Efficacy of Intermittent Enteral Nutrition Versus Continuous Administration in Intensive Care Patients for the Reduction of Complications. Randomized Clinical Trial"), which is not on this map. Cited by 25 papers, 6 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
"Efficacy of Intermittent Enteral Nutrition Versus Continuous Administration in Intensive Care Patients for the Reduction of Complications. Randomized Clinical Trial"
Who cites it
25 citing papers in PubMed, 6 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Effects of continuous versus intermittent enteral feeding on feeding tolerance in critically ill adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Pooled it
- Intermittent versus continuous enteral nutrition in critically ill patients: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Pooled it
- Intermittent enteral nutrition may increase gastrointestinal complications and mortality in critically ill patients.Frontiers in nutrition · 2025Pooled it
- Clinical effects and safety of semi-solid feeds in tube-fed patients: a meta-analysis and systematic review.Frontiers in nutrition · 2024Pooled it
- Clinical efficacy of enteral nutrition feeding modalities in critically ill patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.European journal of clinical nutrition · 2023Pooled it
- The clinical efficacy of melatonin in the treatment of patients with COVID-19: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.Frontiers in medicine · 2023Pooled it
- Does Intermittent Nutrition Enterally Normalise hormonal and metabolic responses to feeding in critically ill adults? The DINE-normal proof-of-concept study.Clinical nutrition (Edinburgh, Scotland) · 2025Trial
- Comparison the effect of continuous and bolus enteral nutrition methods on serum albumin and prealbumin in critical ill patients: A randomized clinical trial.Journal of health, population, and nutrition · 2025Trial
- Intermittent enteral nutrition shortens the time to achieve nutritional goals in critically ill patients.Scientific reports · 2025Trial
- Which is better for glycemic control? bolus, intermittent (nocturnal pause) or continuous enteral feeding in septic critically ill patients.Science progressTrial
- Real-world implementation of a standardized ICU protocol for daytime-restricted enteral nutrition in critically ill adults: A retrospective quality improvement study.Clinical nutrition open science · 2026Article
- Intermittent vs. continuous: a comparative narrative review of enteral and parenteral nutrition support strategies in the perioperative setting.European journal of clinical nutrition · 2026Review
- Comparison of nasogastric tube and intermittent oro-esophageal tube feeding in patients with dysphagia and evaluation of an assessment scale for initial nutritional support selection.Frontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- Impact of enteral feeding strategies on nosocomialFrontiers in nutrition · 2026Article
- Constipation in critically ill adults.World journal of gastrointestinal pathophysiology · 2025Review
- Use of Amino Acids as Supplements for Matching Nutrition, Training, and Rehabilitation-Focusing on Some Questions.Nutrients · 2025Review
- Circadian rhythms, metabolism, and nutrition support in critically ill adult patients: a narrative review.Current opinion in clinical nutrition and metabolic care · 2025Review
- Nine Myths about Enteral Feeding in Critically Ill Adults: An Expert Perspective.Advances in nutrition (Bethesda, Md.) · 2025Review
- Application of Short Peptide Enteral Nutrition in Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Children with Severe Pneumonia and Its Impact on Patient Recovery.Infection and drug resistance · 2025Article
- Unveiling the novel role of circadian rhythms in sepsis and septic shock: unexplored implications for chronotherapy.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe enteral route is commonly utilised to support the nutritional requirements of critically ill patients. However, there is paucity of data guiding clinicians regarding the appropriate method of delivering the prescribed dose. Continuous enteral feeding is commonly used; however, a bolus or intermittent method of administration may provide several advantages such as minimising interruptions. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to compare a continuous versus an intermittent or bolus enteral nutrition administration method.
methodsA systematic review and meta-analysis were performed with studies identified from the PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library and Web of Science databases. Studies were included if they compared a continuous with either an intermittent or bolus administration method of enteral nutrition in adult patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Study quality was assessed using the PEDro and Newcastle-Ottawa scoring systems. Review Manager was used for performing the random-effects meta-analysis on the outcomes of mortality, constipation, diarrhoea, increased gastric residuals, pneumonia, and bacterial colonisation.
resultsA total of 5546 articles were identified, and 133 were included for full text review. Fourteen were included in the final analysis. There was an increased risk of constipation with patients receiving continuous enteral nutrition (relative risk 2.24, 95% confidence interval 1.01-4.97, p = 0.05). No difference was identified in other outcome measures. No appreciable bias was identified.
conclusionThe current meta-analysis has not identified any clinically relevant difference in most outcome measures relevant to the care of critically ill patients. However, there is a paucity of high-quality randomised controlled clinical trials to guide this decision. Therefore, clinicians may consider either dosing regimen in the context of the patient's care requirements.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.