Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Glutamine: a life-threatening deficiency in the critically ill?

  • Editorial
  • Published:
Intensive Care Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Krebs HA (1935) The synthesis of glutamine from glutamic acid and ammonia and the enzymatic hydrolysis of glutamine in animal tissues. Biochem 129: 1951–1

    Google Scholar 

  2. Haisch M, Fukagawa NK, Matthews DE (2000) Oxidation of glutamine by the splanchnic bed in humans. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 278(4): E593–E602

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Reeds PJ, Burrin DG, Stoll B, Jahoor F (2000) Intestinal glutamate metabolism. J Nutr 130 (4S suppl):978S–982S

    Google Scholar 

  4. Vinnars E, Bergström J, Mirst P (1975) Influence of the postoperative state on the intracellular free amino acids in human muscle tissue. Ann Surg 182: 665–671

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Mittendorfer B, Gore DC, Herndon DN, Wolfe RR (1999) Accelerated glutamine synthesis in critically ill patients cannot maintain normal intracellular free glutamine concentrations. J Parenter Enteral Nutr 23(5):243–50

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Hundal HS, Rennie MJ, Watt PW (1987) Characteristics of L-glutamine transport in perfused rat muscle. J Physio 1393: 283–305

    Google Scholar 

  7. Soop MM, Nygren J, Thorell A, Hammarqvist F, Ljungqvist O (1987) Muscle glutamine depletion after major orthopaedic surgery can be attenuated by immediate postoperative spontaneous food intake. Clin Nutr 19 (suppl 1):37–(abs 149)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Jackson NC, Carroll PV, Russell-Jones DL, Sönksen PH, Treacher DF, Umpleby AM (1999) The metabolic consequences of critical illness: acute effects on glutamine and protein metabolism. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 276:E163–E170

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jackson NC, Carroll PV, Russell-Jones DL, Sönksen PH, Treacher DF, Umpleby AM (2000) Effects of glutamine supplementation, GH, and IGF-1 on glutamine metabolism in critically ill patients. Am J Physiol Endocrinol Metab 278:E226–E233

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Gore DC, Jahoor F (2000) Deficiency in peripheral glutamine production in paediatric patients with burns. J Burn Care Rehabi121: 172–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Biolo G, Fleming RYD, Maggi SP, Nguyen TT, Herndon DN, Wolfe RR (2000) Inhibition of muscle glutamine formation in hypercatabolic patients. Clin Sci 99:189–194

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Tjader IE, Essen P, Hultman E, Forsberg A, Wernerman J (2000) Glutamine supplementation to ICU patients affects lactate metabolism in skeletal muscle. Clin Nutr 19: 46–(abs 189)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Wernerman J, Luo J-L, Hammarqvist F (1999) Glutathione status in critially-ill patients: possibility of modulation by antioxidants. Proc Nutr Soc 58: 677–680

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hammarqvist F, Luo J-L, Cotgreave IA, Andersson K, Wernerman J (1997) Skeletal muscle glutathione is depleted in critically ill patients. Crit Care Med 25: 78–84

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Manhart N, Vierlinger K, Akomeah R, Bergmeister H, Sittler A, Roth E (2000) Influence of entral diets supplemented with key nutrients on lymphocyte subpopulations in Peyer's patches of endotoxin-boostered mice. Clin Nutr 19(4):265–269

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Weingartmann G, Brabec M, Oehler R, Spittler A, Roth E (1998) Glutamine protects U937 cells against heat-induced apoptosis in association with high expression of hsp70. Clin Nutr 17(Suppl 1):34–R18

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wischmeyer PE, Musch MW Madonna MB, Thisted R, Chang EB (1997) Glutamine protects intestinal epithelial cells: role of inducible HSP70. Am J Physio1272:E879–E884

    Google Scholar 

  18. Wischmeyer PE, Musch M, Kahana M, Chang E, Roizen M (2000) Heat shock protein induction in heart and lung tissue after glutamine infusion. Anesth Analg 90:(2) S149

    Google Scholar 

  19. Calder PC, Yaqoob (1999) Glutamine and the immune system. Amino Acids 17: 227–241

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Kew S, Wells SM, Yagoob P, Wallace FA, Miles EA, Calder PC (1999) Dietary glutamine enhances murine Tlymphocyte responsiveness. J Nutr 129: 1524–1531

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Lin MT, Saito H, Chang KJ, Chen WJ (2000) Glutamine enriched parenteral nutrition improves splenocyte interferon-gamma production. Nutr Res 20: 805–813

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Chang WK, Yang KD, Saaio MF (1999) Lymphocyte proliferation modulated by glutamine: involved in the endogenous redox reaction. Clin Exp Immunol 117:482–488

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Matthews DE, Marano MA, Campbell RG (1993) Splanchnic bed utilisation of glutamine and glutamic acid in humans. Am J Physio 1264: E848–E854

    Google Scholar 

  24. Li J, King BK, Janu PG, Renegar KB, Kudsk KA (1998) Glycyl-L-glutamineenriched total parenteral nutrition maintains small intestine gut-associated lymphoid tissue and upper respiratory tract immunity. J Parenter Enteral Nutr 22: 31–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Spittler A, Sautner T, Gomiciewicz A, Oehler R, Manhart N, Fiigger R, Roth E (2000) Postoperative glutamin-dipeptide infusion prevents the decrease of HLA–DR expression on monocytes unduced by surgery. Clin Nutr 19: 22 (abs 90)

    Google Scholar 

  26. De Beaux AC, O’Riordan MG, Ross JA, Jodozi L, Carter DC, Fearon KCH (1998) Glutamine-supplemented total parenteral nutrition reduces blood mononuclear cell interleukin-8 release in severe acute pancreatitis. Nutrition 14: 261–265

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Morlion BJ, Stehle P, Wachter P, Siedhoff HP, Koller M, Konig W Fürst P, Puchstein C (1998) Total parenteral nutrition with glutamine dipeptide after major abdominal surgery - a randomized, double-blind, controlled study. Ann Surg 227: 302–308

    Article  PubMed Central  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Oudemans–van Straaten HM, Bosman RJ, Treskes M, van der Spoel HJI, Zandstra DF (2000) Plasma glutamine depletion and patients outcome in acute ICU admissions. Intensive Care Med DOI 10.007/s001340000703 (this issue)

  29. Wernerman J, Hammarqvist F (1999) Glutamine: a necessary nutrient for the intensive care patient. Int J Colorectal Dis 14: 137–142

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Griffiths RD (1999) Glutamine: establishing clinical indications. Curr Opin Clin Nutr Metab Care 2:177–182

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Fürst P (2000) Effects of supplemental parenteral L-alanyl-L-glutamine (ALA-GLN) following elective operations: a European multicenter study. Clin Nutr 18:16 (abs)

    Google Scholar 

  32. Jiang ZM, Cao JD, Zhu XG, Zhaos WX, Yu JC, Ma EL, Wang XR, Zhu MW Shu H, Liu YW (1999) The impact of alanyl-glutamine on clinical safety, nitrogen balance, intestinal permeability, and clinical outcome in postoperative patients: a randomized, doubleblind, controlled study of 120 patients. J Parenter Enteral Nutr 23: S62–S66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Karwowska KA, Szulc R, Dworacki G, Keromski J (2000) Influence of glutamine enriched parenteral nutrition on nitrogen balance and immunological status in patients undergoing elective aortic aneurysms repair. Clin Nutr 19: 22 (abs 92)

    Google Scholar 

  34. DiCosmo L, Neri A, Piccolomini A, Vuolo G, Guarnieri A, Mariani F, Testa M, Paolini B, Mattei R (2000) Glutamine supplemented TPN in major abdominal surgery. Clin Nutr 19: 23–(abs 97)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Griffiths RD, Jones C, Palmer TEA (1997) Six-month outcome of critically ill patients given glutamine supplemented parenteral nutrition. Nutrition 13: 295–302

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Griffiths RD, Allen KD, Jones C (2000) GlutamineTPN and intensive care acquired infections. Clin Nutr 19: 42 (abs 172)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reader in Medicine (Intensive Care), Intensive Care Research Group, Department of Medicine, Duncan Building, UCD, University of Liverpool, Daulby Street, L69 3GA, UK

    R. D. Griffiths & E. Andrews

Authors
  1. R. D. Griffiths
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. Andrews
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. D. Griffiths.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Griffiths, R., Andrews, E. Glutamine: a life-threatening deficiency in the critically ill?. Intensive Care Med 27, 12–15 (2001). https://doi.org/10.1007/s001340000753

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s001340000753

Search

Navigation