Authors' reply

摘要

Our study focused on nosocomial infections post intervention (day 9 until day 28), because our hypothesis was that time and energy were required to achieve a metabolic effect with an observable clinical effect. 5-day intervention was chosen because a nutrition intervention before major surgery of such a duration was shown to improve outcome. The decision to change the primary outcome was taken when the activity of the second centre (Lausanne) started with a delay of a few months due to administrative reasons. 27% of patients in the supplemental parenteral nutrition (SPN) group had one or more nosocomial infections between day 9 and day 28 versus 38% in the enteral nutrition group. Because some patients had more than one nosocomial infection, the total number was greater than the number of first nosocomial infections.