title: Immunonutrition and cytokine response in patients with head injury.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To investigate whether short-term postoperative immunonutrients feeding can modulate the level of cytokines in patients with head injury compared to standard enteral tube feeding formula.
  
  
  METHODS
  A randomized double-blind study was carried out on 40 moderate to severe head injury patients. They were randomized to have continuous nasogastric tube feeding within 24 hours after surgery of either the immunonutrient containing enteral formula (group A) or the standard enteral formula (group B). The level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and 10 (IL-10) were measured on day 1 (before feeding), and subsequently on day 3 and day 5.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty patients were randomly selected in each group, who had similar severity levels of injury. Compared to the level of IL-6 on day 1, the level of IL-6 was markedly reduced on day 3 in group A (p = 0.002), whereas such reduction in group B was not statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short term postoperative immunonutrient feeding can reduce cytokine level, indicating that systemic inflammatory response syndrome might be modulated by such feeding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand.
authors.forename: Jiraporn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Khorana
authors.forename: Kittipan
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rerkasem
authors.forename: Chatchawann
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Apichartpiyakul
authors.forename: Choompone
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sakonwasun
authors.forename: Wanarak
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Watcharasakslip
authors.forename: Tanat
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Waniyapong
authors.forename: Thanya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Norasethtada
authors.forename: Kaweesak
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Jittawatanarak
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D005260:Female; D005526:Food, Formulated / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000097:blood*; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D016753:Interleukin-10