Future prospects for adjunctive therapy: pharmacologic and nutritional approaches to immune system modulation
Alexander, J.W.; Peck, M.D.
Critical Care Medicine 18(2 Suppl): S159-S164
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 0090-3493 PMID: 2404669 Document Number: 356575
Dietary factors, shown to influence outcome by producing a pharmacologic effect rather than correcting or preventing a simple deficiency, include proteins (both type and amount), arginine, glutamine, omega -6 and omega -3 fatty acids, short-chain fatty acids, iron and zinc, and vitamins E, C and A. Therapeutic outcome has already been influenced by dietary therapy in patients after burn injury or who have vascular diseases, and in experimental animals for the prevention of gut origin sepsis, the prevention and treatment of infection, prevention and development of secondary lesions in autoimmune diseases, increase of immunosuppression in transplantation, and in the treatment of cancer. Nutritional therapy using disease-specific formulations or supplements is increasing in importance for successful therapeutic outcome.