L-Glutamine in sickle cell disease

L-Glutamine is a conditionally essential amino acid required for synthesis of the pyridines for nucleotides, including nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and glutathione, as well as glutamate, and becomes essential during oxidative stress exposure. The NADH:[NAD⁺ + NADH] (redox) ratio in sickle red blood cells (RBCs) is lower than in normal RBCs, consistent with oxidative stress, therefore glutamine availability is important in sickle cell disease (SCD). RBC glutamine levels vary between SCD studies but the ratio glutamine:glutamate was inversely related to tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity in one. Oral L-glutamine was associated with an increase in NADH and reduction in RBC endothelium adhesion in small studies of SCD patients. In a sickle mouse model, glutamine levels were directly related to cerebral blood flow. Phase II and III randomized, double-blind, controlled trials of L-glutamine 0.6 g/kg/day compared with placebo in children and adults with SCD and = 2 episodes of pain in the previous year provide evidence that L-glutamine is safe and associated with a reduction in painful episodes and in hospitalizations. However, L-glutamine was only tolerated in two-thirds of patients, anemia and hemolysis did not improve and there are few data on mortality and organ complications. Future studies should investigate the effect of other amino acids and total protein intake.