The effects of infusion of amino acids alone or in combination with glucose and fat on thyroid hormone and other metabolite interactions in surgery.
The effects of infusion of amino acids alone or in combination with carbohydrate and lipid on triiodothyronine (T3) and reverse triiodothyronine (rT3) status, substrate availability and metabolism in surgically-stressed and clinically euthyroid patients were examined. The characteristic post-operative decline in T3 concentration was observed in all patient groups (p < 0.001) (8 patients in each group). However, infusion with amino acids alone retarded the decline in T3; the decrease was lower than those found in the controls and the mixed nutrition group and restoration of T3 values was incomplete, even by the sixth post-operative day. The pattern of increase in rT3 was similar in all 3 patient groups. However, the T3/rT3 ratio dropped to its lowest level on day 1 in the control group and the mixed infusion group (p < 0.001), with a complete restoration by the sixth post-operative day, whereas in the amino acids infused group the ratio was lowest on day 2 (p < 0.001) and was still significantly low by day 6 compared with the pre-operative value (p < 0.001). The findings, in the group infused with amino acids of a less prominent hyperglycaemia, with the significant slowing of T3 response and the significant correlation of rT3 with the plasma glucose, indicate a link between hyperglycaemia and the thyroid hormone response to surgical trauma. No correlations were found between thyroid hormone or urea concentrations, and the blood concentrations of free fatty acids, 3-hydroxybutyrate, or urea; or between thyroid hormone and the percentage of total urea nitrogen excretion. Results show that the changes in fat metabolism after operation are unlikely to be responsible for the changes in T3 and rT3. In conclusion, whereas the post-operative response of T3 concentration can be partially modified by the nutrition regimen employed, that of rT3 is largely related to surgical stress.
Georgiannos
S N
SN
Surgical Unit, Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, London E1 1BB, UK.
Al-Saadi
A S
AS
Goode
A W
AW
Sugden
M C
MC
Orr
J S
JS