Evidence of taurine depletion and accumulation of cysteinesulfinic acid in chronic dialysis patients.

Methionine, taurine and cysteinesulfinic acid (CSA) were determined by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) in plasma from ten patients treated with hemodialysis (HD) and eight patients treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). The patients' data were compared with data obtained from ten healthy controls. Significant reductions in plasma taurine levels were observed in the HD patients (34 +/- 13 mumol/liter, mean +/- SD) and the CAPD patients (47 +/- 12 mumol/liter) compared to the controls (66 +/- 5 mumol/liter), while the CSA levels were markedly higher in the HD patients (9.1 +/- 2.8 mumol/liter) and the CAPD patients (9.1 +/- 2.4 mumol/liter) than in the controls (0.79 +/- 0.15 mumol/liter). A single HD treatment significantly reduced the plasma taurine and CSA concentrations (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001), respectively. The plasma methionine levels were normal in both patient groups. The finding of a low plasma taurine level and a large accumulation of CSA suggests that the metabolic conversion of CSA to taurine is impaired in uremic patients and this metabolic abnormality may cause taurine depletion.

Increased contribution by myofibrillar protein to whole-body protein breakdown according to severity of surgical stress.

A study was conducted to clarify the contribution by myofibrillar protein to whole-body protein breakdown in surgically stressed patients. Thirteen patients who underwent esophagectomy (group E) and 22 who underwent gastric or colorectal operation (group GC) were studied. Patients were all male and younger than 65 y old. Whole-body protein breakdown was determined using constant infusion of 15N-glycine. Urinary excretion of total catecholamines and 3-methylhistidine (3-MH) were measured. Amino acid composition of femoral arterial and venous blood was also analyzed. All the patients were fed exclusively by total parenteral nutrition providing 1.5 g protein and 40 kcal.kg-1.d-1 throughout the study. Whole-body protein breakdown increased significantly in group E (P < 0.01) and group GC (P < 0.05) on the 3rd postoperative day. The increase was significantly greater in group E than group GC (P < 0.01). Urinary excretion of 3-MH also increased significantly in group E (P < 0.01) and in group GC (P < 0.01) on the 3rd postoperative day. The increase was also greater in group E than group GC (P < 0.01). The ratio of urinary 3-MH excretion to whole-body breakdown protein (mumol/g), which is a indicator for the contribution of myofibrillar protein to the whole-body protein breakdown, increased significantly from 0.84 +/- 0.30 of preoperative value to 1.79 +/- 0.38 in group E (mean +/- SD; P < 0.01) and 1.42 +/- 0.18 in group GC (P < 0.05) on the 3rd postoperative day. This ratio was significantly higher in group E (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the ratio of myofibrillar to whole-body protein breakdown correlated significantly with urinary excretion of total catecholamines (r = 0.546; P < 0.01). Therefore, the contribution of myofibrillar protein to whole-body protein breakdown increased proportionately with the severity of surgical stress. On the other hand, femoral-arteriovenous differences of BCAA, Ala, Gln, Tyr, and Phe correlated significantly with the urinary excretion of 3-MH. These data suggest that skeletal muscle protein degradation is proportional to the breakdown of total myofibrillar proteins and both correlate with the severity of stress. From these data, it may be suggested that the contribution of skeletal muscle to whole-body protein catabolism is increased postoperatively, and that the increase is correlated with the severity of surgical stress.

Evaluation of parenteral nutrition in the postoperative patient.

A variety of investigators have attempted to improve nitrogen balance during the postoperative period by modifying the composition of the infused nutrient solutions. This study compared the metabolic effects of administering standard amino acid solutions with a solution enriched with branched chain amino acids (BCAA). A prospective, randomized clinical study was performed in patients who had undergone subtotal gastrectomy or hemicolectomy, and subsequently cared for in the metabolic care unit. The patients were selected from specific entry criteria so that two groups of individuals were comparable. All patients underwent operation without complications. The plasma concentrations of valine and leucine were significantly increased (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.01, respectively) two days after administration of solutions enriched with BCAA and throughout the entire postoperative period. The plasma glutamine concentrations tended to decrease in both groups; no concentration difference occurred between groups. Nitrogen balance tended to be more positive in the group receiving BCAA but there was no significant difference between groups after operation. Urinary excretion of 3-methylhistidine tended to increase postoperatively in both groups, but no difference occurred between groups. However, the urine excretion of isoleucine increased significantly in the patients receiving infusions enriched with BCAA. Both standard balanced amino acid and amino solutions enriched with BCAA were well tolerated in all patients.