Parenteral glutamine supplementation given in conjunction with nutrition support continues to be associated with a significant reduction in hospital mortality and hospital length of stay.

2014 Critical Care Parenteral glutamine supplementation in critical illness: a systematic review Paul E Wischmeyer, Rupinder Dhaliwal, Michele McCall, Thomas R Ziegler & Daren K Heyland

Systematic Review Glutamine

In this comprehensive systematic review, we demonstrate that traditional parenteral glutamine (GLN) supplementation as a component of nutrition support (primarily added to PN) is associated with a significant decrease in hospital mortality and length of hospital stay.

GLN supplementation is also associated with trends towards reduced overall mortality, infectious complications and ICU LOS in critically ill patients. The therapeutic effect may be dependent on GLN dose given, with optimal benefit traditionally observed between 0.3 and 0.5 g/kg/d.

Thus, we recommend that parenteral GLN supplementation as a component of nutrition support be considered as an approach to improve outcomes of critical illness in selected patients. Our data here suggest that parenteral GLN supplementation, as a component of complete PN and/or EN support, is safe when administered following resolution of shock and multi-organ failure, and with daily doses less the 0.5 g/kg/d.

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