J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 105(2): 213-217, 2004

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Feature topic

IMMUNONUTRITION

Several specific nutritional substrates have been shown to augment and/or modulate host immune function. Some enteral formulas enriched with specific immune-modulating nutrients are presently available for clinical use in Japan. Such nutrients include n-3 fatty acids, arginine, glutamine and nucleotides. Recent meta-analyses of clinical trials showed risk of infection, length of hospital stay and medical costs to be reduced by immunonutrition. The benefits of enteral immunonutrition to be most pronounced in GI surgical patients. However, in critical illness, it is difficult to draw any conclusion on the effect of immunonutrition because of the heterogeneity of the critically ill patients and few clinical trials. Further clinical trials to determine which groups of patients are indicated for immunonutrition as well as what is the optimal combinations of specific nutrients are needed Studies are also required to determine the safety of immunonutrition.

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