Objective To evaluate the efficacy, safety and economical values of nucleic acid/nueleotides for clinical nutritional support and immune treatment. Methods The following electronic databases were searched: Chinese Biomedicine database (CBM), MEDLINE, EMBASE and SCI. Data were extracted by two reviewers. Applied RevMan 4.1 for statistical analyse. Results Forty-six randomized controlled trials were identified, involving nucleic acids/nucleotides for clinical nutritional support, infant feed, immune treatment. Eighteen randomized trials comparing the use of immunonutrition which comprises nucleotides with standard enteral nutrition in surgical and critical ill patients. Combined analysis directed that immunonutrition therapy decrease infection events, length of hospitalization and the cost. Only one trial reported the effects of adding nucleotides to breast milk substitute, but there is no valuable results for clinical practice. Twenty-seven low quality trials compared the use of "immune RNA (iRNA)" with standard methods in hepatitis, carcinoma and burn patients, combined analysis directed that there are not valid evidences to confirm the value of iRNA. Conclusions Immunonutrition may decrease infection rates, length of hospitalisation and cost in surgery and critical ill patients, but we can not affirm the role of the nucleotides in irmnunonutrition. No evidences support the point of adding nucteotides in breast milk substitute. Also, we can not affirm the role of iRNA in clinical immune regulation treatment. There are no available evidences in nucleic acids for caducity prevention and improvement of aging people’s health. Consequently, we advice Chinese health officials to enhance the management for applying "nucleic acids nutrients".
Objective To determine the effects recombinant human growth hormone (GH) and hypocaloric nutrition on postoperative convalescence, we performed a placebo-controlled randomized double-blind trial in 18 patients after elective gastrectomy or colectomy. Methods The subjects received parenteral nutrition containing 20 calories/kg per day and 1 g protein/kg per day. Daily injections of drug or placebo were given during the first postoperative week. Result The nine control subjects lost 3.3 kg (5.9% of preoperative weight) and had a cumulative nitrogen loss of 32.6 ± 4.2 g nitrogen at eight days. The patients receiving GH lost significantly less weight (1.3 kg) and nitrogen loss was 7.3 ± 3.1 g at eight days (Plt;0.001). Kinetic studies demonstrated that anabolic effects of GH were associated with increased protein synthesis, and amino acid flus studies across the forearm revealed increased uptake of amino acid nitrogen in the GH-treated patients. Body composition analysis revealed that the patients receiving GH maintained their lean body mass despite the major surgical procedure. Conclusion We conclude that the postoperative catabolic response can be modified with GH and hypocaloric nutrition. The metabolic and physiologic effects should now be studied in a larger number of patients to determine if this approach can reduce morbidity, mortality, and length of hospital stay for surgical patients.