Nutrition and survival in intensive care

Summary The potential role of nutrition to influence survival in the critically-ill is discussed. Increasing benefits are described to enteral nutrition but there remain some patients who have high mortality in whom only parenteral nutrition is possible. The clinical relevance of glutamine in parenteral nutrition is reviewed in the context of how it might influence survival from severe illness. Received: 7 May 1997 Accepted: 12 August 1997