Effects of major and minor surgery on plasma glutamine and cytokine levels

M. Parry-Billings, R. J. Baigrie, P. M. Lamont, P. J. Morris and E. A. Newsholme
Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, England.

The plasma levels of glutamine and cytokines have been measured frequently in patients before, during, and after elective abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery ("major surgery") or inguinal hernia repair ("minor surgery"). The plasma glutamine level declined rapidly following major surgery and remained markedly below preoperative levels until at least 7 days after surgery. This response of the plasma glutamine levels was significantly correlated with the production of interleukin 6 but not with that of interleukin 1, tumor necrosis factor, or interferon gamma. In contrast, following minor surgery, the plasma glutamine level was unchanged and the elaboration of interleukin 6 was attenuated. The decrease in the plasma glutamine level following major surgery may contribute to the state of immunosuppression, which follows major surgery, and the relationship between amino acid and cytokine metabolism is worthy of further study.

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Efficacy of Parenteral Nutrition Supplemented With Glutamine Dipeptide to Decrease Hospital Infections in Critically Ill Surgical Patients
Estivariz et al.
JPEN J Parenter Enteral Nutr 2008;32:389-402.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Route of administration (enteral or parenteral) affects the contribution of L-glutamine to de novo L-arginine synthesis in mice: a stable-isotope study
Boelens et al.
Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. Metab. 2006;291:E683-E690.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Branched-Chain Amino Acids and Immunity
Calder
J. Nutr. 2006;136:288S-293S.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Exercise as a Time-conditioning Effector in Chronic Disease: a Complementary Treatment Strategy
Costa Rosa
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med 2004;1:63-70.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Mechanisms Governing the Expression of the Enzymes of Glutamine Metabolism--Glutaminase and Glutamine Synthetase
Labow et al.
J. Nutr. 2001;131:2467S-2474.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Glutamine: commercially essential or conditionally essential? A critical appraisal of the human data
Buchman
Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 2001;74:25-32.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Dietary Glutamine Enhances Murine T-Lymphocyte Responsiveness
Kew et al.
J. Nutr. 1999;129:1524-1531.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Glutamine utilization by rat neutrophils: presence of phosphate-dependent glutaminase
Curi et al.
Am. J. Physiol. Cell Physiol. 1997;273:C1124-C1129.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Circulating cytokines in patients undergoing normothermic cardiopulmonary bypass
Frering et al.
J. Thorac. Cardiovasc. Surg. 1994;108:636-641.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT