Glutamine-supplemented total parenteral nutrition improves immunological status in anorectic patients

Abstract Objective Glutamine is an important substrate for critical cells of the immune system, in particular lymphocytes and macrophages, and it is considered a conditionally essential amino acid. Several studies have indicated that glutamine-enriched total parenteral nutrition improves immunologic...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2010-06, Vol.26 (6), p.677-681
Main Authors: Mondello, Stefania, M.D, Italiano, Domenico, M.D, Giacobbe, Maria Stella, M.D, Mondello, Patrizia, M.D, Trimarchi, Giuseppe, Ph.D, Aloisi, Carmela, M.D, Bramanti, Placido, M.D, Spina, Edoardo, M.D
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Amino acids
Anorexia - blood
Anorexia - immunology
Anorexia - therapy
Anorexia nervosa
Biological and medical sciences
Dietary Supplements
Feeding. Feeding behavior
Female
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Gastroenterology and Hepatology
Glutamine
Glutamine - administration & dosage
Glutamine - pharmacology
Glutamine - therapeutic use
health status
Humans
immune response
Immune system
immunity
Immunologic status
Lymphocyte Count
Lymphocytes
Lymphocytes - drug effects
Lymphocytes - metabolism
Neopterin
Neopterin - blood
Nutrition
Parenteral Nutrition
patients
Proteins
randomized clinical trials
Studies
Total parenteral nutrition
Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
Young Adult
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Abstract Objective Glutamine is an important substrate for critical cells of the immune system, in particular lymphocytes and macrophages, and it is considered a conditionally essential amino acid. Several studies have indicated that glutamine-enriched total parenteral nutrition improves immunologic status and shortens length of stay of critically ill patients. We investigated the effect of total parenteral nutrition supplemented with glutamine on the immune system in anorectic patients. Methods Thirty-six anorectic patients were randomized to receive standard parenteral nutrition or parenteral nutrition supplemented with glutamine 0.18 g · kg−1 · d−1 for 20 d. To evaluate the immune system status, we determined serum levels of neopterin and insulin growth factor-1 and lymphocyte count at baseline and after 10 and 20 d from the beginning of the therapy. Results and Conclusions The results showed a significant increase of the serum levels of neopterin after 10 d of treatment with glutamine (26.44 ± 3.08 versus 6.75 ± 1.73 nmol/L, P < 0.001), thus proving a probable stimulating action carried out by glutamine on the immune system, as testified by the increase of lymphocytes.
ISSN:0899-9007
1873-1244
DOI:10.1016/j.nut.2009.10.008