Position of the American Society for Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) adopted by the Academy

ABSTRACT

The American Society of Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition (ASPEN) established the glutamine workgroup to provide a review of the scientific literature and to develop a position paper that supported parenteral glutamine supplementation for patients requiring parenteral nutrition. The position paper provides guidance to health professionals regarding recommendations for parenteral glutamine supplementation. ASPEN made the recommendation that an FDA-approved source of parenteral glutamine be prescribed according to professional judgment, during specific states of illness. Glutamine has been found to be adequately produced in healthy individuals; however, research has shown that in a state of critical illness one cannot produce adequate amounts of glutamine resulting in adverse clinical outcomes. Targeted patient populations such as critically ill postoperative or ventilator dependent patients have been shown to benefit from parenteral nutrition glutamine supplementation. The ASPEN position paper provides guidelines regarding early administration and dosage of parenteral glutamine for practitioners. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics adopted ASPEN’s position paper February 2012.

The position paper was published in Nutrition in Clinical Practice, August 2011, volume 26, Number 4, pages 479-494 and published on ASPEN's online June 22, 2011.

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