EFFECTS OF MAJOR SKELETAL TRAUMA ON WHOLE-BODY PROTEIN-TURNOVER IN MAN MEASURED BY L-[1,C-14]-LABELED LEUCINE

  • 1 January 1980
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 88  (2) , 294-300
Abstract
Skeletal trauma induces excessive urinary N losses and apparently stimulates the oxidation of the branched chain amino acids. To quantitate whole body protein turnover rates and leucine metabolism during the peak N loss period following skeletal trauma, quantitation was done in 8 healthy and 6 trauma subjects, who received D5W [5% dextrose in water] as their only nutrition for 72 h, using a 10 h continuous infusion of L-[1, 14C]-leucine. Controls lost an average of 6 g N/day and the trauma patients lost 25 g N/day. Trauma elevated plasma leucine by 76%, increased the leucine flux through the free leucine pool by 86% and accelerated leucine oxidation by 277% over the control values. Trauma also produced a 50% increase in whole body protein synthesis and a 79% increase in protein breakdown. Significant increases in protein synthetic and catabolic rates in trauma with a greater increase occurring in catabolism were defined. this is similar to protein turnover in sepsis and burn injury, but is different from that found in elective surgery. Strikingly, women do not exhibit the same response to injury as men. This suggestion is based on a small sample.

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