Plasma carnitine levels during total parenteral nutrition of adult surgical patients

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Abstract
Plasma levels of total carnitine remained unaltered in surgical patients fed intravenously up to about the 20th day of feeding. After that day there was a gradual decline in the levels. When oral feeding was recommended, levels rapidly returned to normal. It is concluded that adult patients can maintain plasma levels of carnitine much longer than newborns when no exogenous carnitine is supplied.