title: Early plasma amino acid pool alterations in patients with military gunshot/missile wounds.
abstract: Plasma amino acid profiles in patients during the early period (first 18 hours) following military gunshot/missile wounds were investigated. Patients (n = 29) were casualties from the war in the former Yugoslavia with injury severity scores ranging from 4 to 18. They were divided into three groups: soft tissue (muscle) damage, wounds with fractures, and vital structures injured. Controls were normal blood donors (n = 17). Free amino acids were analyzed in venous plasma. Increased concentrations of phenylalanine and glutamine associated with increased molar phenylalanine/tyrosine ratio in plasma indicated increased net protein catabolism in the peripheral tissues, regardless of the type of injured tissues. Decreased plasma arginine, ornithine and citrulline levels, accompanied with increased molar glutamine/valine ratio, suggested disturbance in urea cycle activity, although urea level was not altered. We concluded that early changes in plasma amino acid pool characteristics after wounds were of systemic origin, not related to the type of injured tissues.
authors.affiliation: Military Medical Academy, Institute for Medical Research, Beograd, Yugoslavia.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zunić
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Savić
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ignjatović
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Taseski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood*; D001753:Blast Injuries / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids