Effect of Perioperative Supplementation with Arginine and Omega-3 on Postoperative Complications in Patients Undergoing Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery: A Pilot Open-Label Randomized Controlled Trial
Sakhri, Saida, Othman, Rym Ben, Jerbi, Chaima, Ceylan, Halil Ibrahim, Naija, Lamia, Zemni, Ines, Jamoussi, Henda, Dhiab, Tarek Ben, Ceylan, Nagihan Burcak, Stefanica, Valentina, Dergaa, Ismail
Background: Perioperative immunonutrition, including arginine and omega-3 fatty acids, has been proposed to support postoperative recovery by modulating immune function. Aim: To evaluate the effects of perioperative arginine and omega-3 supplementation on postoperative infectious complications, mortality, hospital length of stay, intensive care unit duration, and inflammatory markers in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery. Methods: In this Pilot Open-Label randomized trial, 35 adult patients scheduled for elective gastrointestinal cancer surgery at Salah Azaiez Institute were randomly assigned to receive either perioperative immunonutrition (n = 18; three daily capsules of omega-3 and one sachet of Arginine+ for 7 days preoperatively and 7 days postoperatively) or standard care (n = 17). Primary endpoints were postoperative infectious complications and 1-month mortality. Secondary endpoints included hospital length of stay, ICU duration, and postoperative biochemical markers. Results: No statistically significant differences were observed between groups in 1-month mortality (p = 0.324), hospital length of stay (median 7 vs. 7 days, p = 0.392), or ICU duration (median 5 vs. 6 days, p = 0.601). Urinary tract infection (5.9% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.939) and wound infection rates (5.9% vs. 11.1%, p = 0.581) were comparable. Importantly, postoperative C-reactive protein and other inflammatory markers did not differ significantly between groups (CRP: 165 vs. 175 mg/L; intergroup p = 0.798). Conclusions: In this trial, perioperative immunonutrition with arginine and omega-3 fatty acids did not improve postoperative clinical outcomes or inflammatory markers in patients undergoing gastrointestinal cancer surgery. At the administered dose and within a small, heterogeneous cohort, immunonutrition did not provide additional benefit beyond standard care. Larger, adequately powered multicenter trials with optimized dosing are required to clarify its role in gastrointestinal oncology.
- Journal
- NUTRIENTS
- Year
- 2026
- Volume
- 18
- Issue
- 4
- eISSN
- 2072-6643
- DOI
- 10.3390/nu18040651
- WoS UID
- WOS:001701062000001