[Effect of Sijunzi Decoction and enteral nutrition on T-cell subsets and nutritional status in patients with gastric cancer after operation: a randomized controlled trial].
OBJECTIVE
To observe the effect of perioperative application of Sijunzi Decoction and enteral nutrition on T-cell subsets and nutritional status in patients with gastric cancer after operation.


METHODS
In this prospective, single-blinded, controlled clinical trial, fifty-nine patients with gastric cancer were randomly divided into three groups: control group (n=20) and two study groups (group A, n=21; group B, n=18). Sjunzi Decoction (100 ml) was administered via nasogastric tube to the patients in the study group B from the second postoperation day to the 9th postoperation day. Patients in the two study groups were given an isocaloric and isonitrogonous enteral diet, which was started on the second day after operation, and continued for eight days. Patients in the control group were given an isocaloric and isonitrogonous parenteral diet for 9 days. All variables of nutritional status such as serum albumin (ALB), prealbumin (PA), transferrin (TRF) and T-cell subsets were measured one day before operation, and one day and 10 days after operation.


RESULTS
All the nutritional variables and the levels of CD3(+), CD4(+), CD4(+)/CD8(+) were decreased significantly after operation. Ten days after operation, T-cell subsets and nutritional variables in the two study groups were increased as compare with the control group. The levels of ALB, TRF and T-cell subsets in the study group B were increased significantly as compared with the study group A (P<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Enteral nutrition assisted with Sijunzi Decoction can positively improve and optimize cellular immune function and nutritional status in the patients with gastric cancer after operation.
Cai
Jun
J
Department of General Surgery, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 200032, China. caijun509@yahoo.com.cn
Wang
Hua
H
Zhou
Sheng
S
Wu
Bin
B
Song
Hua-Rong
HR
Xuan
Zheng-Rong
ZR
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D008517:Phytotherapy; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013274:Stomach Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C403259:si-jun-zi-tang