Erythromycin is More Effective than Metoclopramide in the Treatment of Feed Intolerance in Critical Illness

In intensive care patients with feed intolerance, erythromycin reduces gastric residual volume more effectively than metoclopramide (NNT 4). Both drugs rapidly become ineffective. In patients who fail monotherapy, an open-label, non-controlled extension of this study suggests combination therapy may be effective.

Level of evidence: 1⁺ (RCT with a low risk of bias)