Abstract:
Objective To study the effects of glutamine on intestinal barrier function in patients undergoing postoperative chemotherapy for gastric cancer.
Methods Forty patients with gastric cancer after operation who accepted the fourth chemotherapy were randomly divided into Gln group and control group. The former received oral administration of glutamine (30 g/d) for 7 days. All patients received CF+5-FU+Oxalipatin chemotherapy, namely FOLFOX formula, for 5 days. Serum concentration of glutamine, DAO and D-lactate were measured before and l day after chemotherapy. Changes of microflora in stool were also studied by bacterial culture.
Results After chemotherapy, the serum concentration of glutamine was significantly decreased in the control group(P<0.05)and increased in the Gln group(P<0.01), and there was significant difference between the two groups(P<0.01). The levels of DAO in the two groups after chemotherapy were significantly higher than those before treatment(P<0.01), while they were significantly higher in the control group than those in the Gln group(P<0.05). The levels of D-lactate in the control group were significantly higher than those in the Gln group(P<0.05). Bacterial culture revealed that the amount of bifidobaterium and lactobacilli were markedly increased while escherichia coli and enterococcus faecalis decreased in the control group.
Conclusion Oral administration of glutamine can increase serum concentration of glutamine in chemotherapy patients with gastric cancer and shows the protective effects on gut barrier function by alleviating the damage of intestinal mucosa and microecologic disturbance.
Key words:
Glutamine,
Gastric cancer,
Chemotherapy,
Intestinal barrier function
Xiao-lei ZHAO, Xiao-dong HE, Quan CUI, Zhi-yun DENG, Yi YANG. Effects of glutamine on intestinal barrier function in patients undergoing postoperative chemotherapy for gastric cancer[J]. Chinese Archives of General Surgery(Electronic Edition), 2010, 04(02): 132-134.