A double-blind, randomised, controlled trial to study the effects of an enteral feed supplemented with glutamine, arginine, and omega-3 fatty acid in predicted acute severe pancreatitis.

Context: Current best evidence is in favour of early institution of enteral feeding in acute severe pancreatitis with promising results from trials in immunonutrition on other patient groups.

Objective: To identify which groups of patients and products are associated with benefit, we investigated immunonutrition in patients with predicted acute severe pancreatitis.

Design: A randomised trial of a study feed containing glutamine, arginine, tributyrin and antioxidants versus an isocaloric isonitrogenous control feed was undertaken.

Physiologic impact of low-dose dopamine on renal function in the early post renal transplant period.

Background: Low-dose dopamine (LDD) (< or =5.0 microg/kg/min) is often used in the early postrenal transplant period for its perceived improvements in renal function parameters. However, there is little published evidence to support its use.

Quantitative detection of changes in cytokine gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells correlates with and precedes acute rejection in renal transplant recipients.

Immunological monitoring of transplant recipients is an attractive concept. Cytokines provide an obvious focus for research, as they are central to the human immune response. This study aimed to identify cytokines whose sequential gene expression differentiated rejectors from non-rejectors immediately following renal transplantation.

House keeping genes and gene expression analysis in transplant recipients: a note of caution.

Background: House keeping genes are often used as a means of standardising results obtained in gene expression investigations. This study was performed to investigate whether beta-actin, beta2-microglobulin (two genes frequently quoted as house keeping genes) and/or transferrin receptor would be suitable house keeping genes for use in gene expression analysis of renal transplant recipients.

Methods: Sequential expression of all three genes was measured in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of 13 living donors and 45 renal transplant recipients, pre-operatively and then daily for up to 2 weeks.

Comparative evaluation of 'TaqMan' RT-PCR and RT-PCR ELISA for immunological monitoring of renal transplant recipients.

By sequentially monitoring cytokine gene expression (using RT-PCR ELISA technology) in peripheral blood cells of renal transplant recipients in the early post-operatively period we have shown that expression patterns correlate with clinical events, namely acute allograft rejection. This strategy may have the potential of predicting acute rejection prior to clinical detection. Unfortunately, the technique used was time consuming and only semi-quantitative and, therefore, not suitable for clinical application.