Comparison of the efficacy of parenteral glutamine and branched-chain amino acid solutions given as extra supplements in parallel to the enteral nutrition in head trauma

SummaryBackground & aimsWe aimed to investigate the effects of parenteral glutamine and parenteral branched-chain amino acid solutions, given as extra supplements to standard enteral nutrition on nutritional parameters like prealbumin, transferrin levels, number of lymphocytes as well as systemic immune response syndrome (SIRS) and sepsis development, mortality and length of stay in ICU in severe head trauma patients.MethodsGroup I (standard enteral nutrition): standard enteral feeding containing 1 kcal mL−1, 4 g 100 mL−1 protein. Group II (standard enteral nutrition + parenteral branched-chain amino acid solution): patients those were supplemented with branched-chain enriched (45%) amino acid solution 500 mL day−1 (containing 30.7 g protein) in parallel to standard enteral nutrition for 10 days. Group III (standard enteral nutrition + parenteral glutamine solution): patients those were supplemented with glutamine solution 100 mL day−1 (containing 20 g l-alanine-l-glutamine) in parallel to standard enteral nutrition for 10 days.ResultsNo statistical differences were found between three groups in the prealbumin, transferrin levels, number of lymphocytes, mechanical ventilation time, length of ICU stay, SIRS, and sepsis ratio.ConclusionsNo striking effects of glutamine solutions and solutions rich in branched-chain amino acids administered as extra supplements to enteral nutrition on nutrition parameters, mortality was observed in severe head trauma patients.