Preoperative oral carbohydrate treatment attenuates immediate postoperative insulin resistance.
Postoperative insulin resistance is a well-characterized metabolic state that has been shown to correlate with the length of postoperative stay in hospital. Preoperative intravenous or oral carbohydrate treatment has been shown to attenuate the development of postoperative insulin resistance measured 1 day after surgery. To study the effects of preoperative oral carbohydrate treatment on postoperative changes in insulin resistance and substrate utilization, in the absence of postoperative confounding factors, 15 patients were double-blindly treated with either a carbohydrate-rich beverage (12.5%) (n = 8) or placebo (n = 7) before undergoing total hip replacement surgery. Insulin sensitivity, endogenous glucose release, and substrate oxidation rates were measured before and immediately after surgery. Whole body insulin sensitivity decreased by 18% in the treatment group vs. 43% in the placebo group (P < 0.05, Student's t-test for unpaired data). In both groups, the major mechanism of insulin resistance was an inhibition of insulin-induced nonoxidative glucose disposal after surgery. The better preservation of insulin sensitivity in the treatment group was attributable to a less reduced glucose disposal in peripheral tissues and increased glucose oxidation rates.
Department of Surgery, Karolinska Hospital, S 171 76 Stockholm, Sweden.
M
M
Soop
J
J
Nygren
P
P
Myrenfors
A
A
Thorell
O
O
Ljungqvist
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D019644:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D005990:Glycerol / Q000097:blood; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D007700:Kinetics; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011300:Preoperative Care
D001786:Blood Glucose; D002241:Carbohydrates; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D006728:Hormones; D007328:Insulin; D019344:Lactic Acid; D005947:Glucose; D005990:Glycerol