Haematologica
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Glutamine-enriched parenteral nutrition after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation: effects on immune reconstitution and mucositis.
Glutamine (gln), a non-essential amino acid, has recently received increasing attention because it becomes essential during stress and catabolic states: glutamine seems to modulate immune function and to promote faster intestinal healing after chemotherapy. We designed two consecutive randomized clinical trials to evaluate the role of glutamine-enriched parenteral nutrition (GEPN) in patients with hematologic malignancies submitted to high dose chemotherapy and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (aPBSCT) or immunoselected CD34+ aPBSCT. ⋯ GEPN is safe and effective and improves lymphocyte recovery after aPBSCT; further studies are needed to assess the clinical benefits of such an approach in order to justify its economic impact.