Paradoxical Effects of Glucose Feeding on Liver Regeneration and Survival After Partial Hepatectomy

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Abstract
Although glucose is regularly administered to patients after partial hepatic resection, its contribution to survival and/or liver regeneration is unclear. To examine this question fed and anesthetized rats underwent 68% or 90% hepatectomy and received either oral 20% glucose solution or tap water (controls) ad lib for 24 h. Survival was compared by life table analysis and the regeneration response measured by 3H-thymidine uptake into liver deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Profound hypo-glycemia (60 ± 8 mg/dl) following 90% hepatectomy in controls was corrected by glucose feeding (99 ± 25 mg/d1) and survival was enhanced (75 ± 0.09% vs. 42 ± 0.1%, p<0.01). No deaths occurred in the 68% hepatectomy groups wherein untreated hypoglycemia was not as severe (106 ± 6 mg/d1). However, after 68% hepatectomy glucose adversely affected the regeneration response.