Malvika Prasad
Tanzania
Review Article
Citrulline: Is it Ready for Primetime. Its Uses and Limitations in Neonatal Medicine
Author(s): Malvika Prasad, Malki Miller, Alok Bhutada and Shantanu RastogiMalvika Prasad, Malki Miller, Alok Bhutada and Shantanu Rastogi
Citrulline is a non-protein amino acid produced almost exclusively by the gut and present only in small amounts in the diet. Since the gut is the main source of citrulline, it could be used as a potential biomarker of intestinal function. Necrotizing Enterocolitis is an intestinal dysfunction in neonates leading to significant morbidity and mortality. This review discusses the various aspects of intestinal injury and the association of citrulline with bowel disorders, as well as recent developments with citrulline in the pediatric population. As citrulline is directly related to small bowel length, it has been recently shown that its levels are an efficient marker when the active mass of the bowel is affected. This could be used as a prognostic marker for parenteral nutrition weaning and development of enteral tolerance. Lower levels of citrulline are found in preterm neonates with ne.. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2167-0897.1000147