Glutamine and recombinant human growth hormone protect intestinal barrier function following portal hypertension surgery

Table 1 Baseline characteristics of two groups

Characteristics	Control group(n = 20)	Supplemental group(n = 22)
Male:Female	15:5	17:5
Age (yr)	46.1 ± 2.1	44.3 ± 3.8
Child-Pugh’s grade A	11	10
(No. of patients)
Child-Pugh’s grade B	9	12
(No. of patients)
Splenectomy	13	15
(No. of patients)
Splenectomy + EVL1	7	7
(No. of patients)

¹Endoscopic variceal ligation.

Table 2 Variations of immune and cytokine levels

	Control group (n = 20)			Supplemental group (n = 22)
	d 0	d 3	d 10	d 0	d 3	d 10
CD4 (%)	30.2 ± 5.9	26.1 ± 3.2a	31.0 ± 5.4b	31.1 ± 3.2	27.6 ± 6.0a	33.7 ± 5.5ce
CD8 (%)	28.4 ± 1.5	31.4 ± 2.2a	29.9 ± 1.5	27.8 ± 2.1	30.5 ± 2.4a	28.8 ± 2.2
CD4/CD8	1.05 ± 0.14	0.91 ± 0.22a	1.05 ± 0.15b	1.18 ± 0.14	0.92 ± 0.08a	1.17 ± 0.32ce
IgG (g/L)	13.34 ± 2.12	9.14 ± 1.36a	12.33 ± 1.33b	13.95 ± 1.68	10.12 ± 1.65a	13.94 ± 1.09ce
IgA (g/L)	2.55 ± 0.46	1.35 ± 0.21a	1.98 ± 0.35b	2.93 ± 0.74	1.33 ± 0.44a	2.17 ± 0.31c
IgM (g/L)	1.16 ± 0.35	0.75 ± 0.15a	1.18 ± 0.20b	1.18 ± 0.33	0.78 ± 0.24a	1.28 ± 0.38c
IL-2 (pg/mL)	256.21 ± 55.66	280.21 ± 48.32	318.12 ± 45.65	285.01 ± 71.78	290.21 ± 65.86	368.12 ± 59.25e
TNF-α (pg/mL)	285.01 ± 42.25	385.98 ± 89.12	4 40.10 ± 56.52	280.10 ± 51.10	372.98 ± 85.22	321.12 ± 81.42e
CRP (mg/mL)	6.4 ± 3.1	88.1 ± 25.6a	42.2 ± 20.1b	5.9 ± 5.2	65.1 ± 44.5a	32.2 ± 15.2ce

^aP < 0.05 vs d 0,

^cP < 0.05 vs d 3,

^eP < 0.05 vs control group.

Table 3 Effect of Gln and rhGH on intestinal permeability (L/M ratio), morphology, and PCNA index before and after operation

	Control group (n = 20)		Supplemental group (n = 22)
	Preoperative	Postoperative	Preoperative	Postoperative
L/M ratio	0.0410 ± 0.0015	0.0749 ± 0.0051a	0.0401 ± 0.0031	0.0567 ± 0.0033ac
Villus height (μm)	352.4 ± 13.6	336.2 ± 11.6a	359.7 ± 17.5	377.6 ± 14.6ac
Crypt depth (μm)	115.0 ± 6.2	111.3 ± 3.9	117.7 ± 7.5	126.1 ± 7.2ac
PCNA (%)	16.02 ± 2.06	15.65 ± 2.56	16.20 ± 1.87	24.08 ± 1.85ac

^aP < 0.05 vs preoperative;

^cP < 0.05 vs control.