Impact of fiber-based enteral nutrition on the gut microbiome of ICU patients receiving broad-spectrum antibiotics: a randomized pilot trial

The purpose of this randomized pilot trial was to assess the impact of fiber on gut short-chain fatty (SCFA)-producing bacteria in the intensive care unit (ICU). Twenty medical ICU patients who were receiving broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics and were expected to receive 3 or more days of enteral nutrition were randomized to a fiber-containing nutrition formula versus a calorie- and micronutrient-identical but fiber-free formula. The primary pre-specified study outcome was the within-individual change in SCFA-producing bacteria between baseline (pre-nutrition) and Day 3 based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing of rectal swabs.