Abstract
Objectives: To determine the effects of orally administered glutamine on the resting energy expenditure (REE) and nutritional status of children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia. Methods: Twenty-seven children and adolescents (13 boys, 14 girls), 5.2 to 17.9 years old (median 11.0 years), received orally administered glutamine (600 mg/kg per day) for 24 weeks. Measures of REE and other nutritional parameters were compared at baseline and 24 weeks. Results: After 24 weeks, the patients' median REE (kcal/d) decreased by 6% (P = 0.053) as indicated by the Harris Benedict equations and by 5% (P = 0.049) as indicated by the modified equations. Patients with less than 90% ideal body weight had even greater declines in REE after 24 weeks (P < 0.03 and 0.02, respectively). Improvements in nutrition parameters and in two amino acids in the plasma were observed. Conclusions: After 24 weeks of orally administered glutamine, children and adolescents with sickle cell anemia had a decrease in REE and improvement in nutritional parameters. Those who were underweight had a greater decrease in REE than those of normal body weight. Lowering REE may be an effective way to improve the growth of these children and adolescents.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 619-625 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology |
Volume | 26 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 2004 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Amino acids
- Glutamine
- Nutrition
- Sickle cell anemia
- Sickle cell disease
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Pediatrics, Perinatology, and Child Health
- Oncology
- Hematology