Association of enteral feeding with microaspiration in critically ill adults

•Gastric microaspiration occurred in 39 % of mechanically ventilated patients.•Average onset of microaspiration was within 24 h of starting enteral feeding.•Feeding tubes were post-pyloric during more than half of the microaspiration events.•Patients not receiving enteral feeding were more likely to be abundant aspirators.•Perform microaspiration prevention strategies with or without feeding