Zusammenfassung
The gastrointestinal tract is an organ of digestion and absorption which is metabolically active and has specific nutrient requirements. Both in health and critical illness, it has an additional function as a major barrier, protecting the body from harmful intraluminal pathogens and antigenic molecules. However, there is a great body of evidence that trauma, sepsis or other critical illnesses ...
Zusammenfassung
The gastrointestinal tract is an organ of digestion and absorption which is metabolically active and has specific nutrient requirements. Both in health and critical illness, it has an additional function as a major barrier, protecting the body from harmful intraluminal pathogens and antigenic molecules. However, there is a great body of evidence that trauma, sepsis or other critical illnesses lead to derangements in the barrier function of the gut, which results in a blood-stream invasion by gut-derived pathogens, leading to 'primary' bacteraemias or fungaemias. Under experimental and certain clinical conditions, stimulating the gut attenuates these stress response and prevents the gut-associated lymphoid tissue, the body's major defender of moist mucosal surfaces. A better understanding of gut function and improved nutrient delivery has clinical implications on the treatment of critically ill patients.
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