ABSTRACT
Present data support a role for endogenous cytokine peptides as important mediators of the local as well as systemic manifestations of severe injury or infection (l,2). As such, much effort has been directed toward the development of synthetic cytokine antagonists, which, in addition to their prohibitive cost, may exhibit potential toxicity. Recent evidence, however, has suggested that simple dietary manipulations may not only influence endogenous cytokine production, but may affect clinical outcome as well. This chapter will focus on nutrition as such a modulating influence upon several components of the inflammatory mediator cascade, which are currently believed to be responsible for both initiating and perpetuating the host response to injury and infection.
