Further Concerns About Glutamine: A Case Report on Hyperammonemic Encephalopathy.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

We report a case of a woman with hyperammonemic encephalopathy following glutamine supplementation.

DESIGN:

Case report.

INTERVENTIONS:

Plasma amino acid analysis suggestive of a urea cycle defect and initiation of a treatment with lactulose and the two ammonia scavenger drugs sodium benzoate and phenylacetate. Together with a restricted protein intake ammonia and glutamine plasma levels decreased with subsequent improvement of the neurological status.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

Massive catabolism and exogenous glutamine administration may have contributed to hyperammonemia and hyperglutaminemia in this patient.

CONCLUSION:

This case adds further concerns regarding glutamine administration to critically ill patients and implies the importance of monitoring ammonia and glutamine serum levels in such patients.

• Authors: Luca Cioccari, Matthias Gautschi, Reto Etter, Anja Weck, Jukka Takala
• Journal: Critical care medicine (Crit Care Med) Vol. 43 Issue 10 Pg. e458-60 (Oct 2015) ISSN: 1530-0293 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 26035146 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Glutamine

Topics

• Brain Diseases, Metabolic (chemically induced)
• Dietary Supplements (adverse effects)
• Female
• Glutamine (adverse effects)
• Humans
• Hyperammonemia (chemically induced)
• Middle Aged