GLUCOSE OR FAT AS A NON-PROTEIN ENERGY-SOURCE - A CONTROLLED CLINICAL-TRIAL IN GASTROENTEROLOGICAL PATIENTS REQUIRING INTRAVENOUS NUTRITION

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  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 80  (1) , 103-107
Abstract
The best nonprotein energy source for routine use in patients receiving i.v. nutrition (IVN) for short periods of time is not known but the relative merits of glucose and fat remain controversial. A quantitative difference in the ability to retain N between these 2 energy sources was investigated. In a prospective study of 2 comparable groups of 16 gastroenterologic patients who received IVN for 2 wk the changes in body weight, fat, water and protein that occurred were measured. The only difference in the IVN between the groups was the nonprotein energy source. Group I received hypertonic glucose alone (49.2 .+-. 7.9 kcal/kg per day) and group II received an i.v. fat emulsion (60% of the nonprotein energy) in addition to hypertonic glucose (51.5 .+-. 5.0 kcal/kg per day). Significant weight gain occurred in both groups (P < 0.001). In group I this was accounted for by gains of water (P < 0.02) and fat (P < 0.01) but not of protein. Patients receiving glucose with fat (group II) gained protein (P < 0.02) but the gains of fat and water were not significant. Protein repletion was achieved with an i.v. fat emulsion over 2 wk and the problem of water retention which occurred in the patients fed with glucose alone was not present. Fat in conjunction with glucose may be more effective as an energy source than equicaloric amounts of glucose alone in the type of patients studied.

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