title: Finding a place for immunonutrition.
abstract: The role of certain nutrients that seem to have pharmacologic effects on immune and inflammatory parameters has been studied over the last two decades. This area of research is called immunonutrition. A recent study administered a combination of immunonutrients perioperatively in well nourished gastrointestinal cancer patients undergoing elective surgery. The rate of infectious complications and length of hospital stay was decreased in those receiving immunonutrients compared with patients receiving no nutritional support. The role of the individual components of this immunonutrition and the clinical trials of similar combinations in surgical gastrointestinal cancer patients are reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: Sohrab
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mobarhan
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D058870:Food, Organic; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology*; D007902:Length of Stay; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D019990:Perioperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic