Enteral administration of naloxone for treatment of opioid-associated intragastric feeding intolerance.

Intragastric enteral feeding intolerance, common in the intensive care setting, is attributed to many causes. Opioid antagonists such as naloxone may have a role in reversing the intolerance when it is associated with intravenous opioid infusions. A 38-year-old woman hospitalized for acute respiratory distress syndrome was supported with low tidal volume mechanical ventilation. She required lorazepam and morphine administered by continuous intravenous infusion to achieve ventilator synchrony and pain control. While receiving these therapies, the patient developed persistent intolerance to intragastric feeding. Intravenous metoclopramide and laxatives did not decrease gastric volume residuals, and insertion of a jejunal tube was deemed unsafe due to worsening of her respiratory status. Total parenteral nutrition was begun to meet her caloric needs, but she experienced repeated catheter-related bloodstream infections. Naloxone 2 mg by gastric tube every 8 hours for 8 days was started; the dosage then was increased to 4 mg every 8 hours. Tube feeding was restarted, which provided the patient with more than 90% of her daily caloric needs and allowed for discontinuation of parenteral nutrition. With this dosage of naloxone, tolerance to intragastric feeding was maintained until the patient's death due to refractory respiratory failure. Enterally administered naloxone is an effective, noninvasive means of reversing intolerance to intragastric feeding associated with opioids.