title: Glutamine in the intensive care unit.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the recent literature (2011-2013) on glutamine supplementation of parenteral and enteral nutrition in critically ill patients. Potential confounding factors that may explain conflicting results are suggested.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Some recent, prospective, multicenter trials and two small trials yielded conflicting results that weigh heavily in the conclusions of a recent meta-analysis. Heterogeneity of the patients enrolled (especially in terms of injury severity, age, and basal nutritional status) and difficulties in identifying patients truly in need of glutamine supplementation may explain the discrepancies.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Glutamine supplementation has been recognized as beneficial in acutely injured patients. However, recent conflicting results in either 'real-life conditions' or very severe situations suggest that its indications need to be more precisely determined.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Clinical Chemistry, Hôpitaux Universitaires Paris Centre, AP-HP bLaboratory of Nutrition Biology EA 4466, Department of Experimental, Metabolic and Clinical Biology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Paris Descartes University, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cynober
authors.forename: Jean-Pascal
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: De Bandt
mesh_terms: D016638:Critical Illness / Q000628:therapy; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004750:Enteral Nutrition; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005973:Glutamine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D017093:Liver Failure / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D051437:Renal Insufficiency / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D005973:Glutamine