Enteral Glutamine Supplementation for the Patient With Major Torso Trauma

The University of Texas System (UT)

Status and phase: Terminated; Phase 1

Conditions: Shock; Trauma; Critical Illness

Treatments: Drug: Glutamine

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00178581

HSC-MS-05-0144

M01RR002558 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

Glutamine is considered a conditionally essential amino acid during critical illness. After severe trauma, glutamine supplementation into the gastrointestinal tract may help maintain bowel function. We hypothesize that for the major torso trauma patient, high dose glutamine given enterally during resuscitation from shock and continued during enteral nutrition support is absorbed, available systemically and preserves gut integrity.

Full description

In this prospective, randomized, controlled trial of patients with major torso trauma, high-dose enteral glutamine and enteral nutrition will be given to research subjects while controls will receive isocaloric, isonitrogenous enteral support. Enteral tolerance, bowel integrity and permeability will be evaluated. The systemic appearance of glutamine will be measured.

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Adult trauma patients meeting criteria for shock resuscitation
• Major torso trauma
• Admission to the Shock/Trauma Intensive Care Unit

Exclusion criteria

• Age <18 years
• Pregnant
• Expected survival < 24 hours
• Bowel in discontinuity
• Renal failure: baseline serum creatinine>3.0 and/or dialysis
• Admission total bilirubin >10 mg/dl
• History of cirrhosis or cirrhosis apparent on exploratory laparotomy
• Asystole or CPR required

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)