Parenteral administration of branch-chain amino acids enrichment in critically ill surgical patients

To investigate the effect of the infusion of BCAA-enriched parenteral nutrition in critical patients on nutritional status and clinical outcome.Methods 40 critical patients who met the criteria were enrolled in a prospective,randomly and single-blind-controlled study,and received total parenteral nutrition.TPN was infused to the patients in both groups with equal calorie and equal nitrogen by central vein.Meanwhile,plasma amino acid patterns and nitrogen balance were assayed.Results After 6 days treatment of parenteral nutrition,plasma concentrations of valine(P=0.008),leucine(P=0.02) and isoleucine(P=0.01) in research group increased more obviously than that in control group,so did the plasma concentrations of arginine(P=0.007).No positive introgen balance was obtained after 6 days’ treatment of parenteral nutrition in the two groups.APACHEⅡ scores of research group decreased more obviously than that of control group,but length of stay and mortality rate show no significant differences between the two groups.Conclusion The formula of amino acid enriched BCAA may normalize the levels of serum amino acids,reduce the proteolysis,and increase the synthesis of protein.A further study with large sample is improtant to evaluate the effect of BCAA on clinical outcome in critically ill patients.5 refs.