Intravenous (IV) dextrose is supplied as dextrose monohydrate. While pure, anhydrous carbohydrates provide 4 kcal per gram, the water molecule in dextrose monohydrate adds to the total weight without contributing calories. This "hydration" effectively dilutes the caloric density. Therefore, the standardized caloric value used in all clinical and pharmaceutical calculations for IV dextrose is 3.4 kcal per gram. This value is critical for accurately calculating the energy provided to patients receiving parenteral nutrition.

A. 0.9 kcal/g: This value is incorrect. It may be confused with the percentage concentration of Normal Saline (0.9% sodium chloride), not a caloric value.

B. 1.2 kcal/g: This is an arbitrary and incorrect caloric value for any macronutrient used in parenteral nutrition.

C. 1.5 kcal/g: This is an arbitrary and incorrect caloric value for any macronutrient used in parenteral nutrition.

1. American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (A.S.P.E.N.). (2017). The A.S.P.E.N. Adult Nutrition Support Core Curriculum (3rd ed.). In Chapter 11

Parenteral Nutrition Formulations

it is explicitly stated

"Dextrose monohydrate is the carbohydrate source used in PN solutions in the United States

providing 3.4 kcal/g."

2. Mueller

C. M. (Ed.). (2012). The A.S.P.E.N. Nutrition Support Practice Manual (2nd ed.). American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. In Chapter 20

Parenteral Nutrition Formulas

Table 20-1

"Macronutrient Sources for Parenteral Nutrition

" lists Dextrose Monohydrate as providing 3.4 kcal/g.

3. University of Illinois Chicago

College of Pharmacy. (2021). PGY1 Pharmacy Residency Program Educational Materials: Parenteral Nutrition Basics. This university courseware consistently uses 3.4 kcal/g for dextrose in all parenteral nutrition calculation examples and teaching modules.

4. Worthington

P.

Balint

J.

Bechtold

M.

et al. (2017). When is parenteral nutrition appropriate? Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition

41(3)

324–377. In the section on "Parenteral Nutrition Components

" the caloric value of dextrose is cited as 3.4 kcal/g. https://doi.org/10.1177/0148607117695251