title: Does glutamine-enriched parenteral nutrition really affect intestinal morphology and gut permeability?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nutritional depletion has been related to low glutamine levels in plasma and gut mucosa. This study was set up to investigate the effects of glutamine-enriched total parenteral nutrition on intestinal morphology and permeability.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three depleted patients were randomized and after stabilization baseline measurements were performed. Plasma glutamine concentrations, gut morphology (including proliferation and lymphocyte markers) and intestinal permeability were measured. After administration during 8-10 days of a glutamine enriched total parenteral nutrition or an isonitrogenous control solution the measurements were repeated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant changes in glutamine concentrations, intestinal permeability, mucosal morphology or gut mucosal inflammation were observed between groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glutamine enriched total parenteral nutrition in a depleted patient population does not result in improvements in gut morphology and gut barrier function.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, University Hospital Maastricht, The Netherlands. k.hulsewe@ah.unimaas.nl
authors.forename: Karel W E
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Hulsewé
authors.forename: Bernadette A C
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: van Acker
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hameeteman
authors.forename: Rene R W J
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: van der Hulst
authors.forename: Tryfon
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vainas
authors.forename: Jan-Willem
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Arends
authors.forename: Bernard K
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: van Kreel
authors.forename: Maarten F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: von Meyenfeldt
authors.forename: Peter B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Soeters
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005973:Glutamine / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000628:therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D010539:Permeability / Q000187:drug effects*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005973:Glutamine