Toward protein-energy goal-oriented therapy?

Protein calorie malnutrition is a concern in critically ill patients. Prospective studies to define the ideal calorie/protein intake to administer not only to meet requirements but also to change outcome are lacking. Strack van Schijndel and colleagues have observed an improvement in survival when patients reach the calorie target according to indirect calorimetry and a protein intake of greater than 1.2 g/kg per day. Their prospective observational study sheds new light on this field.