Effect of isocaloric fat or glucose on albumin synthesis and nitrogen balance in patients receiving amino acid infusion.
Twelve patients who had undergone colon operations were randomized prospectively in the postoperative recovery room. Seven received a hypocaloric intravenous solution consisting of 3.5% amino acids plus 2.5% glucose and five received 3.5% amino acids plus 10% fat. Nitrogen balance data indicated that isocaloric amounts of glucose and fat seem equally effective when combined with amino acids. Although the albumin synthesis rates (measured by the 14C technique on the fourth postoperative day) were not significantly different between the two groups, when the results were included with pooled data from previous similar studies, there was a statistically significant difference which indicated a higher rate of albumin synthesis in patients who received the combination of amino acids and fat compared with those who received amino acids and glucose P < 0.05). In this clinical setting, fat may favor the uptake and synthesis of amino acids into visceral proteins, while glucose may have a more direct role in the synthesis of skeletal muscle protein.
D000368:Aged; D000418:Albumins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008055:Lipids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008297:Male; D008762:Methylhistidines / Q000652:urine; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D011897:Random Allocation; D014508:Urea / Q000096:biosynthesis
D000418:Albumins; D000596:Amino Acids; D008055:Lipids; D008762:Methylhistidines; D014508:Urea; D005947:Glucose; D009584:Nitrogen