Modulation of postoperative nutrition and immune response by arginine-enhancing enteral diet in gastric cancer patients

Objective To evaluate the enteral diet supplemented with arginine on host nutrition and immune response in postoperative gastric cancer patients.Methods Forty cases of postoperative gastric cancer patients were randomly divided into experimental group and control group of 20 cases in each.The patients received enteral nutrition by continuous pump infusion via a nasogastric tube.Jejunal infunal infusion was after surgery and continued for 14 days.The levels of proteins,immune function and hospitalization day were compared between two groups.All indicators were measured before operation and on postoperation day 8 and 15.Results Total protein,albumin,IgA,CD4+,CD4+/CD8+ levels in the experimental group were higher(all P 0.05) than in the control group at 15 days after operation,and hospitalization day was less in the experimental group than in the control group(P 0.05).Conclusion Early supplementation of enteral nutrition with arginine can ameliorate the immune function,nutrition response and reduce hospitalization day for postoperative gastric cancer patients.