Measuring Total Energy Expenditure in Critically Ill Patients Using the Doubly Labelled Water Method
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: DLW-based energy assessment.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Critical Illness. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Belgium
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
Critically ill patients, such as those with trauma or sepsis, experience high rates of malnutrition (up to 75%). Malnutrition worsens outcomes by increasing infection rates, hospital stays, mortality, and healthcare costs. Adequate nutrition is therefore crucial in the ICU. To ensure appropriate nutrition, accurate determination of total energy expenditure (TEE) is essential. In practice, predictive equations are often used, but these can misestimate TEE in ICU patients due to complex metabolic changes. Indirect calorimetry is recommended but limited by technical constraints. Consequently, the doubly labeled water (DLW) method, though expensive, offers a precise and non-invasive way to measure TEE over time. This study applies the DLW method in ICU patients to improve energy assessment and guide personalized nutrition strategies that support recovery and outcomes.
Interventions
- Diagnostic test DLW-based energy assessment
Measuring TEE in IC patients with DLW
Primary outcome measures
- Energy expenditure [Time frame: Min: 1-5 days; Max: 1-20 days]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Admitted to the ICU of Jessa Hospital
- Male and female sexes
- Age: > 18 years old
- Expected ICU stay of 5 days or more
Exclusion criteria
- Dialysis
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- N/A
- Model
- Single group
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
Study locations
Belgium · 1 center
- Jessa Hospital Campus Virga Jesse — Hasselt
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07256340 · 2025/108