A Clinical Research Of Glutamine Preventing Intestinal Injury Induced By Chemotherapy In Postoperative Patients With Gastrointestinal Cancer

AIM: To observe the effects of oral glutamine on intestinal injury induced by chemotherapy in postoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer, and provide a new way to prevent intestinal injury induced by chemotherapy in clinical treatment.METHODS: Thirty-four postoperative patients with gastrointestinal cancer were randomly divided into two groups: Control group (n=17) and Treatment group (n=17). Patients in Treatment group received oral glutamine granules (30g/d, divided into 3 doses of 10g each) for 7 days. Accordingly, patients in Control group did not receive such treatment. Patients in both groups received CF+5-FU for 5 days. The plasma glutamine concentration and urinary lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratio were detected. The toxic effect induced by chemotherapy were recorded. RESULTS: The plasma glutamine concentration was significantly lower inControl group and higher in Treatment group after chemotherapy than before respectively. The plasma glutamine concentration was significantly higher in Treatment group than in Control group after chemotherapy (611.15 + 88.23 mol/L vs 535.42?3.75 mol/Lp<0.01). The urinary lactulose/mannitol (L/M) ratio was significantly higher in Control group and lower in Treatment group after chemotherapy than before respectively. The urinary L/M ratio was significantly lower in Treatment group than in Control group after chemotherapy (0.0331+0.0061 vs 0.0453 + 0.0078 p<0.01). There is no significant difference in toxic effect statistically between two groups except for intestinal injury (p>0.05).CONCLUSIONS: Oral glutamine granules can increase plasma glutamine concentration of postoperative chemotherapy patients with gastrointestinal cancer. Accordingly, it can prevent intestinal injury induced by chemotherapy.