The study evaluated the impact of two types of high fat diet on the outcomes of acute pulmonary failure.

A total of 93 Ventilated acute pulmonary failure patients with enteral feeding were assigned randomly to the control group with carbohydrate-based formula (protein: 20%, fat: 30%, carbohydrate: 50%) and two study groups with fat-based formula, including group A (protein: 20%, In equal proportions of olive and sunflower oil 45%, charbohydrate:35%) and group B (protein: 20%, sunflower oil:45%, charbohydrate:35 %). The diets were prescribed for 14 days.

In each group, 16 patients completed the study. The PaCO2 decreased significantly in the study group A compared with the control group at weaning.The risk of separation from mechanical ventilation during study period was eight times higher in the study group A than the control group. On day 10 of intervention, serum hs-CRP decreased significantly in the control group and the study group A compared to the baseline. Serum concentration of total antioxidant capacity was increased significantly in the study group A on day 10 of the intervention, but in the other two groups it was reduced. Gastrointestinal complications, including diarrhea and high gastric residual volume, were not different between the groups.

With a fat-based diet high in olive oil, more patients were weaned during the study period.This diet reduced the PaCo2 at weaning, reduced the serum level of hs-CRP, and increased the serum level of total antioxidant capacity concentration. Fat-based diet high in sunflower oil did not have any beneficial effects on outcomes.