[Update glutamine and antioxidants in critically ill patients]

Critical illness leads to oxidative stress and can induce or exacerbate nutrient deficiencies. This predisposes patients in the intensive care unit to impaired immune function and increased risk of developing infectious complications, organ dysfunction, and therefore worsens clinical outcome. Immune-modulating properties of specific nutrients such as glutamine and antioxidants may support the endogenous antioxidative system, improve immune and organ function and translate into better clinical outcome of the critically ill patient. The following article summarizes the rationale and provides an update on recent clinical studies with special focus on the use of glutamine and antioxidants in critically ill patients. It further provides recommendations for the clinical use of these substrates in this particular patient population.