N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) has been proposed as an additional therapeutic agent for AIDS patients because it reduces human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication in stimulated CD4+ lymphocytes, and it ameliorates immunological reactivity. In a randomized, 180-day, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial performed with HIV-infected patients classified as A2 and A3 according to the crite...

Background Severe oxidative stress has been reported in tuberculosis [TB] patients. There are no previous reports regarding oxidative stress index and supplementation of antioxidants in TB. The objective of this study was to assess the antioxidant status, lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress index in TB patients. Also to assess the antioxidant supplementation with antituberculosis therapy in...

RATIONALE Mitochondrial nephropathy has a poor prognosis and often progresses to the end-stage renal disease. Renal pathology often is focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) and does not respond to steroid therapy or immunosuppressive therapy. Some patients are benefited from the therapy of coenzyme Q10, which affect the synthesis pathway of coenzyme Q10. PATIENT CONCERNS Herein, we report...

Despite nearly two decades of research investigating the use of dietary antioxidant supplementation during conventional chemotherapy and radiation therapy, controversy remains about the efficacy and safety of this complementary treatment. Several randomized clinical trials have demonstrated that the concurrent administration of antioxidants with chemotherapy or radiation therapy reduces treatme...

Background and Objective: Chronic Kidney Disease-Mineral Bone Disorder (CKD-MBD) is characterized by hypocalcemia, hyperphosphatemia and abnormal vitamin D (VD) metabolism resulting in high parathyroid hormone secretion. The objective of the study was to determine VD status in children with CKD-MBD and the effect of cholecalciferol therapy in these children. Methods: This quasi-experimental st...

OBJECTIVE Warnings of L-carnitine induced seizures are recorded on product monographs and pharmacy databases, without any referenced literature. This medication can potentially improve the hospital course in those patients with valproic acid (VPA) induced hyperammonemic encephalopathy, but may be withheld because of this warning. The goal was to perform an extensive systematic review of the lit...

BACKGROUND Cardiac surgery patients are commonly treated with diuretics, which can result in hypokalemia requiring potassium supplementation. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to determine whether cardiac surgery patients receiving therapy with potassium-wasting diuretics can safely and beneficially maintain serum potassium levels by eating potassium-rich foods. DESIGN A prospectively randomized ...

Glutamine, the most abundant free amino acid in human plasma, has outstanding nutritional and non-nutritional properties. Glutamine regulates immune function and modulates cell metabolism. In particular, its administration showed a positive effect on glucose oxidation and on insulin resistance in different experimental and clinical studies. In humans, glutamine acts as both a substrate and modu...

Altered amino acid metabolism is a hallmark of liver disease, characterized by low levels of circulating BCAAs and elevated levels of circulating aromatic amino acids, and methionine. Although overwhelming evidence indicates that the incidence of complications of liver disease increases with malnutrition, the reported impact of nutritional therapy, specifically BCAA supplementation, on outcomes...