Type 2 diabetes mellitus and the catabolic response to surgery.
BACKGROUND
The authors tested the hypothesis that the catabolic responses to colorectal surgery are amplified in the presence of type 2 diabetes mellitus.


METHODS
Seven nondiabetic and seven diabetic patients underwent a 6-h stable isotope infusion study (3 h fasted, 3-h glucose infusion at 4 mg . kg . min) on the second postoperative day. Leucine rate of appearance (Ra), leucine oxidation, nonoxidative leucine disposal, and glucose Ra were assessed by L-[1-C]leucine and [6,6-H2]glucose. Circulating concentrations of glucose, lactate, insulin, glucagon, and cortisol also were determined.


RESULTS
Diabetic patients had a higher leucine oxidation than nondiabetic patients (P = 0.0003), whereas leucine Ra and nonoxidative leucine disposal were not different. Administration of glucose did not affect leucine kinetics regardless of whether patients were diabetic. In diabetic patients, glucose Ra was greater than in the nondiabetic group (P = 0.0032). Glucose infusion suppressed the endogenous glucose Ra to a lesser extent in diabetic than in nondiabetic patients (P = 0.0048). Plasma glucose concentrations were higher in diabetic than in nondiabetic patients (P = 0.0203), both in the postabsorptive and the fed state. Circulating concentrations of glucagon were higher (P = 0.0065) and concentrations of insulin were lower (P = 0.0146) in the presence of diabetes, resulting in a lower insulin/glucagon ratio (P = 0.0002). In diabetic patients, the insulin/glucagon ratio increased during glucose infusion to a lesser extent than in the nondiabetic group (P = 0.0014).


CONCLUSIONS
Protein catabolism after colorectal surgery is increased in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus as reflected by an increased oxidative protein loss.
Schricker
Thomas
T
Department of Anesthesia, School of Dietetics and Human Nutrition, McGill University, Montreal, Canada. thomas.schricker@mcgill.ca
Gougeon
Rejeanne
R
Eberhart
Leopold
L
Wykes
Linda
L
Mazza
Louise
L
Carvalho
George
G
Carli
Franco
F
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D003107:Colorectal Surgery / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D007930:Leucine / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D011506:Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*
D001786:Blood Glucose; D011506:Proteins; D007930:Leucine; D005947:Glucose