Cost containment through L-alanyl-L-glutamine supplemented total parenteral nutrition after major abdominal surgery:: a prospective randomized double-blind controlled study

Background & Aims: Glutamine is recognized as a conditionally essential amino acid. Recent studies indicate that glutamine-containing total parenteral nutrition improves nitrogen economy, enhances gastrointestinal and immune functions and shortens hospital stay. Methods: Thirty-seven patients (19 w and 18 m; age 61.4 +/- 10.4 years; BMI 23.7 +/- 2.8 kg/m(2)) following major abdominal surgery receiving an isonitrogenous isoenergetic TPN with or without alanyl-glutamine supplementation (0.5 g/kg BW/day), were evaluated in a double-blind, randomized, controlled trial over a five-day period by measuring nitrogen balance, selected biochemical parameters and length of hospital stay. Results: Supplemental alanyl-glutamine improved the overall mean (-3.5 +/- 1.6 vs. -5.5 +/- 1.4 g N; P < 0.05) and cumulative nitrogen balance (-14.1 +/- 9.1 vs. -21.7 +/- 11.4 g N; P < 0.05) compared with the isonitrogenous, isoenergetic standard regimen. Alanyl-glutamine normalized plasma glutamine concentration and reduced the length of hospital stay (12.8 +/- 2.6 vs. 17.5 +/- 6.4 days; P < 0.05). Conclusions: The results of the study confirm that supplementation with synthetic alanyl-glutamine dipeptide is associated with cost containment due to shortened hospitalization and improved nitrogen economy. (C) 2000 Harcourt Publishers Ltd.