Brussels 2007 roundtable on metabolism in sepsis and multiple organ failure

At the 2007 International Symposium on Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine (ISICEM) in Brussels, a roundtable conference on "Metabolic Support in Sepsis and Multiple Organ Failure" was held. The roundtable was endorsed by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine, the Society of Critical Care Medicine, the European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism, and the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. Metabolic support in intensive care has become an exciting topic in recent years, with improved understanding of the effects of compromised mitochondrial function, studies demonstrating outcome benefits of tight glucose control, new insights into the mechanisms behind insulin resistance, recognition of glutamine and antioxidants as key nutrients, and emerging knowledge concerning the interactions between metabolism and endocrinology. Together, these aspects have generated an increased interest in the importance of metabolism in intensive care medicine, reflected in the programs and abstracts at international congresses of the past few years. This roundtable's participants each gave a presentation within their specific area of expertise, and each was followed by general discussion. Discussions became heated as new concepts and ideas were debated. New data will be discussed in this summary which reveals metabolic and nutrition interventions that could lead to major improvements in clinically relevant outcomes.