RESUMO
Objectives:To evaluate if the administration of an enteral diet supplemented with glutamine,arginine and ? 3 fatty acids modulate the inflammatory and immune responses and the outcome after surgery. Methods:A prospective,randomized,double blind and clinical trial was performed.Eighty eight patients with gastrointestinal cancer were randomly divided itnto two groups.One group was given an isocaloric and isonitrogenous standard diet and the other was fed with the supplemented diet with glutamine, arginine and ? 3 fatty acids.Feedings were started within 48 hour after operation, and continued until day 8.All variables were measured before operation and on postoperative day 1,4 and 8.Blood was drawn at different time points to assess albumin, prealbumin and transferring.Immune responses was determined by phagocytosis ability,respiratory burst of polymorphonuclear cells, total lymphocytes, lymphocyte subsets, nitric oxide,cytokine concentration,immunoglobins,and inflammatory responses by plasma levels of C reactive protein and prostaglandin E 2. Results:Tolerance of both formula diets was excellent.There were significant differences in the immunological and inflammatory responses between the two groups.In supplemented group,the serum concentrations of IgA,IgG,IgM,phagocytosis and respiratory burst after surgery were higher and C reactive protein level was lower( P
