Early enteral nutrition, provided within 24 h of injury or intensive care unit admission, significantly reduces mortality in critically ill patients: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

To determine whether the provision of early standard enteral nutrition (EN) confers treatment benefits to critically ill patients. Medline and EMBASE were searched. Hand citation review of retrieved guidelines and systematic reviews were undertaken, and academic and industry experts were contacted. Methodologically sound randomised controlled trials (RCTs) conducted in critically ill patient populations that compared the delivery of standard EN,...