Objectives: 1. To assess the safety and efficacy of initial trophic enteral feeding followed by advancement to full-calorie enteral feeding vs. initial advancement to full-calorie enteral feeding management strategies in reducing mortality and morbidity in patients with ALI or ARDS Hypotheses: 1. Initial trophic feeding followed by full-calorie enteral feeding will improve clinical outcomes (specifically increase the number of ventilator-free days to day 28 and decrease the 60-day, hospital mortality) in patients with ALI or ARDS by reducing systemic inflammation and the number of feeding complications as compared to early, full-calorie enteral feeding.

N01HR56167-7-0-3

2005-09-30

2012-09-29