EFFECTS OF ENTERAL FEEDING PRODUCTS ON SURVIVAL FROM ESCHERICHIA-COLIPERITONITIS

Male Fischer 344 rats were orally fed one of four diets (Osmolite HN, Alitraq, Impact, and Purina rodent chow). After 6 days, jejunal mucosa l nitrogen content and thickness were normal in all groups. After 7 da ys, challenge with Escherichia coli intraperitoneally demonstrated no difference in survival for any dietary group. In a second study, acute protein-calorie malnutrition was induced by administering 5% dextrose orally for 10 days. Animals were refed for 7 days with one of the fou r diets. Serum albumin concentrations and intestinal mucosal nitrogen content and thickness returned to normal with each refeeding program. Challenge with E. coli after 7 days of refeeding, however, again demon strated no difference in survival for any dietary group. Specialized e nteral feeding products, containing additional amounts of arginine, gl utamine, glutamate, RNA, and omega-3 fatty acids, are no more effectiv e than a standard enteral feeding product or rat chow in maintaining i ntestinal anatomy or restoring anatomy following fasting. Furthermore, we found no survival advantage for the specialized products following E. coli peritonitis.