Neuromuscular Dysfunction in Experimental Sepsis and Glutamine.
BACKGROUND
Electrophysiological studies show that critical illness polyneuromyopathy appears in the early stage of sepsis before the manifestation of clinical findings. The metabolic response observed during sepsis causes glutamine to become a relative essential amino acid.


OBJECTIVE
We aimed to assess the changes in neuromuscular transmission in the early stage of sepsis after glutamine supplementation.


METHODS
Animal experimentation.


METHODS
Twenty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomized into two groups. Rats in both groups were given normal feeding for one week. In the study group, 1 g/kg/day glutamine was added to normal feeding by feeding tube for one week. Cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) surgery was performed at the end of one week. Before and 24 hours after CLP, compound muscle action potentials were recorded from the gastrocnemius muscle.


RESULTS
Latency measurements before and 24 hours after CLP were 0.68±0.05 ms and 0.80±0.09 ms in the control group and 0.69±0.07 ms and 0.73±0.07 ms in the study group (p<0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Since enteral glutamine prevented compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) latency prolongation in the early phase of sepsis, it was concluded that enteral glutamine replacement might be promising in the prevention of neuromuscular dysfunction in sepsis; however, further studies are required.
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
İlkin
İ
Çankayalı
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
Özden
Ö
Boyacılar
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
Kubilay
K
Demirağ
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
Mehmet
M
Uyar
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Ege University School of Medicine, İzmir, Turkey.
Ali Reşat
AR
Moral
Experimental; glutamine; neuromuscular; sepsis