title: The gut's role in metabolism, mucosal barrier function, and gut immunology.
abstract: The gastrointestinal tract functions not only to absorb nutrients, it also plays an important immunologic role during health and critical illness. Under experimental and certain clinical conditions, stimulating the gut attentuates the stress response and avoids mucosal atrophy and increases permeability. Gut stimulation prevents atrophy of the gut-associated lymphoid tissue, the body's major defender of moist mucosal surfaces. A better understanding of gut function and improved nutrient delivery has clinical implications in the treatment of critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Tennessee College of Medicine, Memphis, USA.
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: DeWitt
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Kudsk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005526:Food, Formulated; D019276:Glycocalyx / Q000382:microbiology / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D007422:Intestines / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition