Evidence map›Paper›PMID 12548303›Full record

Trial reportEuropean journal of clinical nutrition2003

Effect of c-reactive protein and interleukins blood levels in postsurgery arginine-enhanced enteral nutrition in head and neck cancer patients.

D A de Luis, O Izaola, L Cuellar, M C Terroba, M Arranz, N Fernandez, R Aller

Abstract readClinical TrialRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in European journal of clinical nutrition, 2003. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

6 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 34 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The impact of immunonutrition in head and neck cancer surgery: a systematic review with meta-analysis.Acta otorhinolaryngologica Italica : organo ufficiale della Societa italiana di otorinolaringologia e chirurgia cervico-facciale · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Immunonutrition for patients undergoing surgery for head and neck cancer.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2018
    Pooled it
  3. Trial
  4. Markers of inflammation and coagulation may be modulated by enteral feeding strategy.JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition · 2012
    Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

D A de LuisInstitute of Endocrinology and Nutrition, Medicine School and Hospital Rio Hortega, Valladolid, Spain. ddlr@pulso.com
O Izaola
L Cuellar
M C Terroba
M Arranz
N Fernandez
R Aller
Hospital Universitario Río Hortega · ESUniversidad de Valladolid · ES

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveIt is known that the immune system is frequently affected in patients with head and neck cancer. Although immune dysfunction could be multifactorial, this immune system may be modulated by specific nutritional substrates, such as arginine. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effect of enteral nutrition supplemented with arginine on c-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor (TNFalpha) in surgical head and neck cancer patients.

designRandomized trial.

settingTertiary care. SUBJECTS: A population of 36 patients with oral and laryngeal cancer were enrolled.

interventionsAt surgery patients were randomly allocated to two groups: (a) patients receiving an enteral diet supplements with arginine and dietary fibre (group I, n=18); (b) patients receiving an isocaloric, isonitrogenous enteral formula (group II, n=18). Perioperatively and on postoperative day 5 the following parameters were evaluated: serum values of prealbumin, transferrin, albumin, total number of lymphocytes, interleukin 6, tumour necrosis factor alpha and c-reactive protein.

resultsThe mean age was 59.6+/-10.9 y (two females/34 males). No significant intergroup differences in the trend of the three plasma proteins and weight were detected. CRP decreased in both groups (group I: 152.9+/-76.9 vs 68.9+/-82.5 mg/dl; P<0.05; and group II: 105.9+/-92 vs 43.6+/-59.1 mg/dl; P<0.05). Interleukin 6 did not change (group I: 16.3+/-12.3 vs 35.6+/-83.4 pg/ml; NS; and group II: 22.8+/-40 vs 9.9+/-17.7 pg/ml; NS). TNFalpha did not show any differences (group I: 4.6+/-1.6 vs 5.1+/-1.5 pg/ml; NS; and group II: 8.8+/-6.1 vs 5.8+/-1.7 pg/ml; NS). Lymphocytes increased in both groups (group I: 1405.6+/-517 vs 1634+/-529 x 10(6)/ml; P<0.05; and group II: 1355+/-696 vs 1561+/-541 x 10(6)/ml; P<0.05).

conclusionsEnhanced formula did not change IL6 and TNFalpha levels. Further studies are needed to determine whether route of nutrition or type of formula is the key in these patients.

Indexed as

Enteral NutritionArginineC-Reactive ProteinDietary FiberFemaleHead and Neck NeoplasmsHumansInterleukin-6LymphocytesMaleMiddle AgedNutrition DisordersPostoperative CarePostoperative ComplicationsTreatment OutcomeTumor Necrosis Factor-alphaArginineC-Reactive ProteinDietary FiberInterleukin-6Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha

Identifiers

PMID12548303
OpenAlexW1995645676

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.