Abstract
The issue of micronutrients in critically ill patients is still discussed. Both the role of vitamins and trace elements as well as the range of substitution, which is often very different from recommended dose for parenteral and enteral intake according to actual guidelines ( ESPEN, ASPEN).
In recent studies, the dose recommended for critically ill patients are usually much higher for example in case of selenium, vitamine D or C. In accordance with that, the frequency of monitoring of micronutrients rises.
The development of analytical methods enables to reach information about plasmatic levels of micronutrients in broader extent. With respect to needs an actual monitoring in critically ill its still remains insufficient.
Nevertheless, the plasmatic levels are not always complete information about real content of micronutrients in the body. The decrease of plasmatic levels may reflect either a real exhaustion of given micronutrient or its shift to another body compartment.
About the problematic of trace elements we described already in previously issues of this journal. The following paper is devoted to problematic of vitamins, mostly discussed in critically states - it means vitamins D, B1, C, E and K.