Enteral Glutamine in Critical Illness

• Status: Terminated
• Trial end date: 2007-09-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

Summary

Glutamine is an amino acid which is rapidly depleted in critical illness. It is used as energy by cells that line the gut, vital for immune system function, and works as an anti-oxidant. Glutamine supplementation has been shown to improve outcomes in ICU patients. We hypothesize that critically ill patients given extra glutamine will have less of an inflammatory response and therefore better outcomes than patients not given extra glutamine. Our study randomizes patients to tube feeding with OR without extra glutamine to see if it affects patient outcomes as well as markers of inflammation.

• Phase: Phase 2/Phase 3
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: No

Details

• Lead Sponsor: Christiana Care Health Services

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Admission to MICU/ CICU

• Age greater than or equal to 18 years old

• Requirement for enteral nutrition

• Presence or planned insertion of central venous catheter as part of routine medical care

• Requirement for mechanical ventilation

• APACHE II Score >/= 15

Exclusion Criteria:

• Female of child-bearing age (i.e. less than 45 years old)

• Enteral nutrition begun prior to randomization

• Receiving Total Parenteral Nutrition

• Requirement for protein restriction

• Creatinine >4 mg/dl

• History of cirrhosis and/or clinical signs of heptic encephalopathy