title: Protein-sparing therapy after major abdominal surgery: lack of clinical effects. Protein-Sparing Therapy Study Group.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A prospective multicenter randomized trial was designed to evaluate the clinical efficacy of postoperative protein-sparing therapy.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  The metabolic effect of postoperative protein-sparing therapy has been shown by several studies, but the clinical utility of this treatment has not been investigated by large prospective trials.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six hundred seventy-eight patients undergoing major elective abdominal surgery were randomly assigned to receive either protein-sparing therapy after surgery (protein-sparing therapy group) or conventional therapy (control group). The patients were monitored for postoperative complications and mortality.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The rate of major postoperative complications was similar in both groups (protein-sparing therapy group, 19.5%; control group, 20.9%; p=0.66) as were the overall postoperative mortality rates (4.7% and 3.5%, respectively; p=0.43).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study indicates that routine protein-sparing therapy for patients normonourished or mildly malnourished undergoing major abdominal surgery is not clinically justified.
authors.affiliation: Istituto di Clinica Chirurgica, UCSC, Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: G B
authors.initials: GB
authors.lastname: Doglietto
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gallitelli
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pacelli
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bellantone
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Malerba
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sgadari
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Crucitti
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004066:Digestive System Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010288:Parenteral Nutrition / Q000379:methods*; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D004044:Dietary Proteins