Preoperative glutamine infusion improves glycemia in heart surgery patients

To evaluate the effects of pre-operative L-alanyl-glutamine (L-Ala-Gln) on blood glucose control in patients with coronary obstruction, selected for myocardial revascularization.

Twenty-two patients (63±8 years) were randomly assigned to receive 250 ml of L-Ala-Gln 20% plus saline 750 ml (Group L- Ala-Gln, n=11) or saline 1000 ml (Group Saline, n=11) over 3 hours before operation. Pre-operative blood samples were collected 3h before (T-1) and at the beginning of the surgical procedure (T-2). Intra-operative samples were collected immediately before the start (T-3) and the end of extra-corporeal perfusion (T- 4). Post-operative samples were collected 12h (T-12) and 24h later (T-24).

Glycemia decreased significantly in L-Ala-Gln treated patients during the intraoperative period. The same effect did not occur in saline patients. As the rate of insulin infusion, administered routinely to patients undergoing surgery with extracorporeal circulation was constant in both groups during surgery, the reduction of blood glucose in group L-Ala-Gln does not seem to be related to exogenous insulin.

Pre-operative use of L-Ala-Gln improves glycemic control in patients with coronary artery occlusion, submitted to myocardial revascularization.