title: Immunomodulation. Part IV: Glutamine.
abstract: Glutamine, a nonessential amino acid that appears to be conditionally essential during periods of physiologic stress, plays important physiologic roles in the immune system. However, neither enteral nor parenteral glutamine supplementation makes a difference in the rate of systemic infection or of NEC in very low birth weight infants. Thus, the search for agents to enhance the neonate's immune system and to serve as safe and effective adjuvants to antibiotics continues. Part V, the final article in this immunomodulation series, will explore the use of probiotics to support the neonatal immune system.
authors.affiliation: NICU, All Children's Hospital, Saint Petersburg, Florida, USA.
authors.forename: Susan Givens
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Bell
mesh_terms: D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D005973:Glutamine / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D018928:Immunity, Mucosal / Q000276:immunology; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007227:Infant Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D007231:Infant, Newborn / Q000276:immunology*; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000276:immunology*; D015931:Intensive Care, Neonatal / Q000379:methods; D007408:Intestinal Absorption / Q000276:immunology; D007422:Intestines / Q000276:immunology; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D018529:Nutritional Support; D012107:Research Design; D018805:Sepsis / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D007155:Immunologic Factors; D005973:Glutamine