title: Glutamine supplement with parenteral nutrition decreases whole body proteolysis in low birth weight infants.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine the effect of supplemental glutamine (0.6 g.kg -1 .d -1 ) on whole body protein/nitrogen and glutamine kinetics in low birth weight (LBW) infants receiving parenteral nutrition in the immediate neonatal period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Premature infants < or =32 weeks gestation with a birth weight from 694 to 1590 g were randomly assigned to either a glutamine-supplemented group (n = 10) or to a control group (n = 10). Tracer isotope studies were performed when the infants were 6 to 7 days old and had been receiving an amino acid intake of approximately 3.0 g.kg -1 .d -1 for at least 3 days. Whole body glutamine and nitrogen kinetics were measured with [5-15N]glutamine, [2H5]phenylalanine, [1-13C, 15 N]leucine, [15N2]urea, and GC-mass spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Supplemental glutamine was associated with a lower rate of appearance of glutamine ( P = .003), phenylalanine ( P = .001), and leucine C ( P = .003). There was no significant difference in leucine N turnover, urea turnover and plasma cortisol, and C-reactive protein levels in the 2 groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Parenteral glutamine supplement in LBW infants was associated with lower whole-body protein breakdown. Because the decrease in whole body proteolysis is associated with protein accretion, parenteral glutamine supplement may be beneficial in selected populations of LBW infants.
authors.affiliation: Schwartz Center for Metabolism and Nutrition, MetroHealth Medical Center, Department of Pedatrics and Biochemistry, CaseWestern Reserve University, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland, OH 44109, USA. satish.kalhan@case.edu
authors.forename: Satish C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kalhan
authors.forename: Prabhu S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Parimi
authors.forename: Lourdes L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Gruca
authors.forename: Richard W
authors.initials: RW
authors.lastname: Hanson
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D001724:Birth Weight; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005865:Gestational Age; D005973:Glutamine / Q000378:metabolism / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007700:Kinetics; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D011506:Proteins; D005973:Glutamine; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D009584:Nitrogen; D006854:Hydrocortisone