The effect of glutamine supplementation on serum levels of some inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, and appetite in COVID-19 patients: a case-control study

Background Malnutrition is seen in COVID-19 patients, and reducing malnutrition with appropriate therapies may improve these patients' health. This case-control study aimed to assess and compare serum levels of some inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, and appetite in COVID-19 patients with respiratory infections that receive glutamine treatment with a control group. Methods In this study, patients who consented to use glutamine were considered as the case group and other patients who did not use glutamine were considered as a control group. Two hundred twenty-two COVID-19 patients (51.2 +/- 6.7) using l-Glutamine and 230 COVID-19 patients (51.3 +/- 8.2) with similar age, gender, and clinical status, as the control group, were included in the study. For 5 days, the case group consumed 10 g of glutamine supplement three times per day. At the end of the 5 days, blood samples were taken again to test for serum levels of IL1 beta, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, malondialdehyde, and total antioxidant capacity, then all data were analyzed. Results Serum levels of beta-1 interleukin, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and hs-CRP were significantly reduced with five days of glutamine supplementation (p < 0.05), and patients' appetite during 5 days of glutamine supplementation compared with the control group had a significant increase (p < 0.05). Conclusion Glutamine supplementation in COVID-19 patients with respiratory infection significantly reduces serum levels of interleukin-1 beta, hs-CRP, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha and significantly increases appetite, so glutamine supplementation may be useful for COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

Automated summary

This case-control study investigated the effects of using glutamine treatment on inflammatory factors, oxidative stress, and appetite in COVID-19 patients. The results showed that glutamine supplementation significantly reduced serum levels of inflammatory factors and increased patients' appetite.