Best Evidence Summary for the Prevention and Management of Enteral Nutrition-Related Abdominal Distension in Stroke Patients

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to retrieve, select and consolidate the relevant evidence of enteral nutrition-related abdominal distension in stroke patients, providing a decision-making basis for healthcare professionals to carry out evidence-based practice on abdominal distension in these patients. Method: According to the “5S” model of the evidence pyramid, relevant evidence on the prevention and management of enteral nutrition-related abdominal distension in stroke patients was retrieved from domestic and foreign databases, including clinical decision-making studies, guidelines, evidence summaries, best practices, expert consensus, and systematic reviews. The search spanned from the establishment of the database to March 25, 2025. During the process of evaluation and data extraction, the retrieved guidelines were evaluated by four researchers who had received systematic training in evidence-based methodology, and the remaining literature was independently and rigorously evaluated by two researchers. Result: A total of 12 articles were included in this review, consisting of 1 clinical decision-making study, 1 guideline, 3 expert consensus documents, 1 summary of evidence, and 6 systematic reviews. From ten aspects, including forming a multidisciplinary team, risk assessment, management of enteral nutrition, feeding position, dietary adjustment, aerobic exercise, psychological support, drug management, Traditional Chinese Medicine therapy, and monitoring and recording, we extracted a total of 32 pieces of best evidence. Conclusion: Given the results of this study, we suggest that future researchers conduct larger-scale, multi-center, longitudinal studies to verify our findings and further explore the association between increased abdominal circumference and the severity of abdominal distension in stroke patients, as well as the development of specific abdominal distension rating scales. Such research will provide high-quality evidence and contribute to the development of evidence-based management of enteral nutrition-related abdominal distension in stroke patients.

Keywords

Stroke patients / Abdominal distension / Summary of evidence / Evidence-based nursing

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