title: Glucose and fat metabolism during short-term starvation in cirrhosis.
abstract: To evaluate the metabolic consequences of short-term (i.e., less than 24 hours) starvation, glucose and fat metabolism were studied in eight healthy subjects and in eight patients with stable cirrhosis after 16-hour and again after 22-hour starvation by 3-[3H]glucose and [14C]palmitate turnover and by indirect calorimetry. Although patients and controls showed significant increases in free fatty acid concentration (respectively, 48% +/- 12% and 53% +/- 17%) and turnover (55% +/- 14% and 71% +/- 21%) during short-term starvation, the values after 16- and after 22-hour starvation were higher in cirrhosis. Fat oxidation was enhanced in the patients, but did not increase during fasting in contrast to controls (increase 19% +/- 17%, P less than 0.05). Net glucose oxidation was decreased in postabsorptive cirrhotics (P less than 0.05). Although postabsorptive glucose turnover was not different from controls, starvation induced a greater decrease in glucose turnover in the patients (25% +/- 3% vs. 10% +/- 3%, P less than 0.05). This was not reflected in plasma glucose concentrations. In conclusion, the effects of starvation on glucose and fat metabolism are enhanced in cirrhosis; fasting hypoglycemia is prevented by decreased use of glucose. It remains to be established whether these changes are merely explained by defective liver function, per se.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Romijn
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Endert
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Sauerwein
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005215:Fasting / Q000378:metabolism*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005934:Glucagon / Q000097:blood; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D010168:Palmitates / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D007328:Insulin; D010168:Palmitates; D005934:Glucagon; D005947:Glucose; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine