Evaluation of aminoaciduria in severely traumatized patients.
BACKGROUND
It has been documented in the literature that hypocalcemia, hypoaminoacidemia, and hyperaminoaciduria are sequelae of trauma. The aminoaciduria of patients with different types and severity of traumatic injuries was investigated.


METHODS
Eight severely traumatized patients (ISS range, 20-43 years) and eight age-, gender-, and weight-matched controls were studied. Plasma and urine were collected 2.5-72 h after admission. Quantification of 28 amino acids in plasma and urine was performed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Urine concentrations of amino acids were indexed to creatinine.


RESULTS
The patients' mean serum concentrations of 4 amino acids (arginine, threonine, isoleucine, and glutamine) were significantly decreased, 2 others (tryptophan and glutamic acid) were significantly increased, and 22 were unchanged (p-value< or =0.05). Fractional (urinary) excretion of 11 amino acids was increased in the patients. The patients' serum total calcium and albumin concentrations were decreased, but the mean ionized calcium concentration was not significantly different from the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
The results of this study showed that aminoaciduria involving many amino acids is common for patients with different traumatic injuries and that the aminoaciduria is correlated with a reduction of the total serum calcium concentration.
Liu
Wei
W
Department of Surgery, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, ACC 2nd Floor, 915 Camino de Salud NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131-5341, USA.
Lopez
Juliet M
JM
VanderJagt
Dorothy J
DJ
Glew
Robert H
RH
Fry
Donald E
DE
Schermer
Carol
C
Morris
Don M
DM
D000328:Adult; D000596:Amino Acids / Q000097:blood / Q000652:urine*; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000378:metabolism; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000378:metabolism*
D000596:Amino Acids; D012709:Serum Albumin; D002118:Calcium